Swimming Among the Stars
by Silverwings16
Summary: A year and a half after KotOR II, but a different set of characters. Follow the adventures of bounty hunters Leon and Vara as they agree to help a woman travel across the galaxy on a mission. But when they find out who she really is things change...
1. Chapter 1: Ups and Downs

Outlaw Star

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars…that honor goes to the brilliant Mr. George Lucas and I just come here to get away from it all…

FYI: I use locations, characters, and races from many other games and anime shows. I'm sorry if it bothers you but it's just the way I am!

Please REVIEW! Criticism is welcome (please don't be so harsh I cry) so I can become a better writer.

Chapter I: Ups and Downs

Part I – The Chase

Location: Ganymede, Ecru City outskirts

"Will you hurry up and get into the damn ship?" A very angry Vara Solo screamed out the cockpit door as she cruised along the ground, trying to keep the ship level as bullets pinged off the door, leaving little dents in their wake. As her dark eyes took in the burgeoning damage to her craft, she gnashed her teeth in rage and quickly turned back to Leon, lest she take a shot at him as well. He had watched the path her gaze took and tossed her a sheepish grin as he once again reached out and unsuccessfully grabbed for the ladder as the ship took a sudden jolt to the right.

"You did that on purpose!" Leon whined, and Vara gave him a wicked grin in response. A blaster shot whizzed by his head, causing him to yelp.

"Do you see what you're doing to my ship!" She yelled, then quickly yanked her head back inside the cockpit just in time to miss getting it shot off by a wild Rodian toting a repeating blaster.

"I'm sorry, Vara, it's not my fault!" Leon called back, switching gears to keep up with his partner's increasing speed, his speeder bouncing along the rocky trail.

"Not your fault?" She screeched as a stray shot shattered the glass window behind her head, sending shards of glass raining down around her. "How isn't this your fault? You just had to be late with our payment to the Exchange! You just had to gamble all of our money away on Pazaak! Pazaak! Ah, Leon, couldn't you have even chosen a more exciting game than Pazaak to lose it on! You're hopeless!"

Leon cringed as his partner ticked off the events that lead to the current little predicament they were in; gambling their payment away, him stealing a speeder, being chased down by Exchange muscle, and Vara considering whether or not to rescue him, like she always had to, from certain death. "Ok, so it's my fault!" He finally admitted, sharply jerking his speeder to the right to miss a downed tree. One of the thugs chasing him wasn't so lucky as his speeder crashed into the fallen foliage, careened out of control to the left, bounced off a boulder, and exploded in a brilliant shower of flames in the forest. Leon took that moment to glance behind him to see that there were still at least a dozen other speeders in the chase. A huge, hulking Gamorrean was the closest, his blubbery lips curled up into a grimace of concentration, well, as concentrated as a pig species could get as he swung wildly at Leon with his gargantuan ax. Gulping, Leon's foot pressed down on the pedal farther, causing the craft to jerk forward into a breakneck speed.

Turning the speeder right, he guided it back towards Raven's Wing, Vara's now very beat up ship. "You don't really want me to die do you?" He pleaded, his eyes turning large and innocent, causing Vara's anger to slip away. _Damn, he knew just how to get to her…how's he doing that with his eyes anyway? _

Groaning, she was just about to reach for him when a Duros pulled up next to her, firing a shot into the cockpit. The control panel sizzled, spitting sparks. Hers eyes widened in shock. That was it. They had gone TOO far. Letting out an almost primal battle cry, Vara reached out and grabbed Leon by the collar, lifting him straight off the speeder and into the ship, and in one quick motion, violently turned the ship completely around, facing the oncoming speeders. Leon scrambled to the seat next to her, firing off a few shots out of the window. With his sharp-shooting skills, he actually managed to pick off the Rodian, causing the little green alien to fly off his speeder, his tiny mouth opened in an 'o' of surprise. Then in the next instant he was just a green splotch on the road as his comrades drove over him.

"Um, you do know our _grand_ escape is that way, right?" Leon asked as he pointed towards the direction they were previously headed, and then yanked the pin off of a flash grenade and lobbed it at the Duros that was next to them. It exploded in a brilliant flash of blue, causing the creature's bulbous red eyes to bulge as he tried to desperately rub the blindness from his vision. Unsuccessful, his speeder clipped a rock next to the road. It bounced left and right before plunging into a murky pond next to the lane.

"Oh, I know which way it is." Vara replied, her voice deadly calm, her wild eyes fixed straight ahead. Leon gulped, knowing that look all _too_ well, and having been on the receiving end of it a few times. "Oh boy…" He muttered.

"But no one escapes after they damaged my baby." She growled, opening fire on the thugs, spraying them with a dazzling display of green fire. The Gamorrean's speeder flew out from under him as its damaged circuits caused it to spin out of control into the woods. He rolled along the ground, landing on his own ax, wedging it into his chest. Even as he lay there, Vara continued to shoot at his corpse, over and over. The rest of their pursuers turned on their heels and fled in a cloud of dust. Leon rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"Vara, Vara!" Her partner yelled, as she cackled wildly, nostrils flaring like a crazed horse, pumping the triggers of the cannons. Sighing, he simply reached out slapped her across the cheek. Blinking, she immediately relinquished her grip on the triggers and sat back against the seat, blinking the daze from her eyes. Finally, she turned towards him.

"I was at it again, wasn't I?"

"Yep."

"What was it this time?"

"Shooting at a dead pig."

"Oh…that again."

Part II – Hard Times

Location: Ganymede, Laderala Town – Kayne and Solo Enterprises

Missed _again_. Leon's brow furrowed in concentration as he folded the paper beneath his fingers, glancing up ever so often at the downed craft a few inches from the garbage can by the door. _Maybe if I fold the wings a little longer, it'll get more distance… _He mused over in his mind as he slid his thumb over the fold that would be the second wing. _But if it's flatter, it might be more aerodynamic…_ Running his thumb and forefinger along the bottom of the craft, he made the nose nice and pointy. _Good for speed… _He silently congratulated himself on his expertise on building perfect paper airplanes and after carefully lining up his shot, sent his new little creation into the world and towards its destination: the wastepaper basket. It sliced through the air with ease, bobbing and weaving left and right in its downward spiral. _It's going to make it! _Leon thought giddily to himself as his little plane headed straight towards the can, but suddenly, it lurched right and bounced into the wall with a sickening crunch, crushing its nose and sending it falling to the floor to the right of the waste can.

Leon sat in shock. _How could this happen? It was perfect! My aim was perfect. My plane was perfect. _Heaving a great sigh, he reached out and snatched another piece of parchment from the stack on his desk and began again.

"Well, I see you're spending your time constructively." A voice sounded from the doorway behind him. Spinning around in his chair, Leon faced Vara, who was wiping grease from her fingers with a rag.

Rubbing the back of his head, Leon gave her a nervous smile. "Hehe, yeah, well, you could say I got a little sidetracked."

Rolling her eyes, she crossed the room and stopped at the sink to scrub her hands. "So I take it you didn't categorize all the new parts I found out back?" Her partner glanced out the window at the mushrooming pile of rummaged parts that they found in the junkyard outside.

"You would be right." He answered as he resumed folding his new airplane, deciding right then and there it would be the best one he ever made.

"If you didn't do that, then I guess you wouldn't have fixed the landing gear on Raven's Wing?"

"You would be right again."

Vara leaned against Leon's desk and watched him methodically fold and refold, smooth, and crease his plane, eyes scrunched together in deep concentration. She rolled her eyes again. Minutes ticked by in complete silence except for the droplets of water dripping from the faucet at the sink. She stifled a yawn. He folded the second wing. She sighed loudly. Finally, Leon was complete, his baby was finished. Smiling in satisfaction, he held the paper plane out in front of him, examining it. "This has to be the best plane I've ever done, Vara. Just look at this craftsmanship!" He held the paper plane under her nose so she could get a good look at it. "I just wonder if it will be able to make the trip though..."

She looked over at the garbage can, the floor around it a graveyard of smashed aircraft. "I know how it will make it."

"Vara, _please_, I'm the expert at building paper planes. What could _you_ possibly teach me?" Leon scoffed, his eyes rolling back in their sockets.

"Oh, I know some little tricks. I bet it makes it to the can if I tweak it." She challenged.

"Ok, let's see it." He hesitantly handed it over to her, afraid that she was going to mess up his creation.

Vara held it up to her face, turning it gently back and forth, examining the wings. She ran her slender fingers along the nose, slightly bending it to the right. Then she carefully bent the left wing just a fraction of an inch down. "That's all there is to it?" Leon asked, raising his eyebrow questioningly.

"No, the real trick is this." With a careless shrug, she simply scrunched the plane in her fist, the sound of crackling paper filled the air. The entire world stood still as Leon's eyes widened. "Noooooooooo!" He cried out, reaching forward. Vara continued balling the plane up until it was a lumpy sphere in her hand.

"Perfect." Raising her arm, she flicked her wrist and launched the ball into the air. It arched and soared towards the can. Landing on the rim, it went around and around and then, plopped into the wastebasket with a metallic thud. She turned back to Leon, a grin spread across her face. "Told ya it would make it." She stood up and stretched. "Glad to be of help." With that, Vara headed back outside to work on Raven's Wing.

Once again, Leon sat in shock, staring into space. "She's good." He finally relented and stood up to start picking up the fallen craft around the garbage can when the door suddenly opened, the sensor sending off a little alarm to let he or Vara know that there was a customer. Not that there really ever was one. Not lately anyway. He tossed one of the planes into the can and looked up to find himself staring into the most beautiful face he had ever seen in his life…_okay, so he's said that to himself a dozen times before, but this was different! Okay, so he's said that before too…_ Blinking, he continued to stare at the woman stupidly. Her golden eyes and soft milky skin was intoxicating…

The woman glanced over her shoulder just to make sure the man wasn't looking at something out the window. "Um…hi." She began, outstretching her hand toward him. Leon shook himself out of his trance and quickly gripped her hand, giving it a warm shake. "I, uh, saw out front that you'll do anything form piloting to bounty hunting, so I think you're just the company I was looking for." She had a warm, soft voice.

Leon continued shaking her hand. "You would be right, ma'am." He gave her one of his winning smiles. "I'm Leon Kayne, the Kayne half of Kayne and Solo Enterprises." _I'm such a dope…_ He thought miserably to himself.

She blinked and gave him a 'is this guy for real' look and let out a small chuckle. "So I gathered. I'm Relena Esune." She pried her hand from his grip.

"So, what can we do for you, Ms. Esune?" Leon asked as he led her over to his desk. He indicated for her to sit in one of the worn armchairs in front of him as he settled down into his own chair.

"Well, my father recently passed away and my sister and I need to head back to Coruscant for the funeral. But since it's been all over the holonet news, I'm afraid that we might be attacked, people looking to kidnap my sister and I to ransom back to my family. We don't usually travel without an escort but things just sort of turned out this way."

Leon nodded as he racked his brain. _Esune…Esune…Esune…where have I heard this name before? Esune…Esune Trading Company! That guy's worth a good 50 million credits! Wow, he kicked the bucket? That's news to me. _

"I would need your services from here to the Core. I know that's a long time, but you don't…" She paused, glancing around but Leon put his hands up.

"You can say it. We don't have a lot of customers." They both laughed. "Now let me see, I have to add up expenses for the expense of fuel, and our services…" He trailed off and started punching numbers and distances into a data pad on his desk. "It would cost approximately 500,873.825 credits. But seeing as how you're a really pretty lady, I'll knock it down to 500,872 credits." She blinked and then chuckled. _She has a nice laugh…almost like music…what the hell, since when did I get poetic? _Relena bit back a smile at his last thought but the cost was much more than what she had. She hesitated, then gently waved her hand in front of him. "Do I really need to pay that much, I mean, I don't carry much money around with me." Leon blinked at her, his head starting to itch.

"Uh, if it were up to me, no, but my partner…" The sight of his crumpled airplane, his creation that he had poured his soul into and spent an entire five minutes of his life on, crushed into a ball by her hand, flashed through his mind. "You know what, to hell with her! How much money do you have with you?"

She swallowed nervously but flashed him a pretty smile. "Um…only 25,000."

Leon found himself staring at her again, mostly at her lips. "What a coincidence, 25,000 is the going price."

Part III – You Agreed to WHAT!

Location: Ganymede, Laderala Town – Kayne and Solo Enterprises

Leon desperately wished that there was a hole in the floor that he could crawl in, but sadly there wasn't. But maybe if he stared at it long enough…

"Leon, are you even listening to me!" Vara bellowed, her hands planted on her hips, eyes flashing in anger.

Sighing, still looking at the floor like a dejected child, he nodded his head. "Yes, Vara."

"Don't you know how stupid it was for you to accept this offer?"

"Yes, Vara."

"Did you even check out this woman to see if she's who she said?"

"No, Vara."

"Do you even know if she only had 25,000 credits?"

"No, Vara."

Exasperated, she started pacing. "We're in it big time with the Exchange, Leon! They were already breathing down our necks for the payment, and you screwing them over, stealing one of their speeders, and taking out four of their guys didn't help matters!"

"Hey, it wasn't just me, you were the one who went all ballistic and shot up the pig. You're the one that caused the rest of them to run away. So don't lay all the blame at my feet."

"Will you just let the pig thing go?" She groaned, rubbing her temples, grinding her fingers into her skin. "Ok, I'll admit, _some_ of this is my fault. But we need at least 200,000 just for the down payment!"

Leon leaned back against the wall, his head hitting it with a dull thud, and crossed his arms. "We wouldn't have needed such a big loan if you hadn't made that deal with the Hutt."

"What! That deal was fine! If your piloting skills weren't so terrible, we wouldn't have lost the cargo! Then we wouldn't have needed the loan to pay Ajuur back!"

They faced each other, seething, only inches apart. "This is getting us nowhere." Leon remarked simply, and returned to his position of leaning against the wall, once again bumping his head, and returning his arms to their crossed position. Vara frowned, but begrudgingly nodded. "Look, I took the job and that's that. We'll just make the best of it and maybe will find a way to make some money on the way."

Vara's frown deepened and she walked over to her cot, plopping down with a rustic creak of the springs. "Oh, I'm sure you won't be having a difficult time making the best of things…" She had taken a glimpse at their new customer, Relena Esune, when she heard the alarm go off, indicating someone had entered the building. The woman was beautiful, with a great figure no less, and Vara didn't miss the lustful spark in Leon's eyes when he took in the sight of her. She started to gnaw on her thumbnail as the images played through her mind like a sadistic holovid movie.

Leon watched her with mild amusement, knowing that when she started 'sucking her thumb' as he put it, she was in deep thought, or just chewing her finger because it was a habit. She looked back at him. "So…when do we have to pick her up?"

"In about half an hour." He said, glancing at the chrono on his wrist.

Blowing out a breath, Vara stood up and started rummaging through a drawer in the table next the bed. "She said to expect trouble?"

"Relena told me people might try to kidnap she and her sister for ransom money. I mean, her father's Odin Esune! You know how much cash that family's got."

Finding the object of her search, Vara slapped a cartridge onto her Mandalorian blaster, stowing an extra magazine into the pocket of her vest. "_If_ that's who she really is."

Leon slid his vibroswords into the sheaths that crossed his back in the shape of an X. "Why do you doubt her so much?"

She pulled out a box of grenades and stashed two flashes in her pack. "I just know that you're head's turned by a pretty face and you lose your common sense. What little bit you actually have…"

"Whatever, Vara. Look, she's a woman that needs our help. She looked pretty worried when I talked to her even though she tried to hide it."

"Maybe."

He shook his head. "Nothing I say is going to change your mind, huh?"

She smirked at him and snatched her Twi'lek spinning blade off the bed. "Nope."

Sighing, he gave the room a quick once over to make sure they had everything. "Ready?"

"Let's do this."

I know this chapter is short, but it's only the beginning. They'll get longer I promise…

Till next time…


	2. Chapter 2: Discovery

Swimming Among the Stars

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars; that honor goes to the brilliant Mr. George Lucas. I just come here to dream…

FYI: I use locations, characters, and races from many other games and anime shows. I'm sorry if it bothers you but it's just the way I am!

Please REVIEW! Criticism is welcome (though it would be nice if I didn't get any, please don't be so harsh I cry) so I can become a better writer.

Chapter II: Discovery

Part I – Narrow Escapes and Surprises

Location: Ganymede, outside Laderala town

"Where the hell is she! We've been waiting here for over half an hour!" Vara growled as she glanced down at the chrono on her wrist for the umpteenth time that night. "I say we just go back home, this was a waste of time."

Leon let out an exasperated groan also for the umpteenth time at hearing his partner suggest the same thing she did every five minutes the last 30. "Look, she'll be here! You have somewhere else you need to go?"

"No…" She sighed reluctantly at her failed attempt of getting Leon to let this job go and leaned back against the side of their ship, the Outlaw Star. She could feel the cold metal biting into her back through the thin fabric of her purple tank top.

Crickets chirped around them, disrupting the silence that had settled over the two bounty hunters. "I knew something like this would happen…" Vara grumbled, kicking at a pebble by her feel like a grumpy child.

Leon squinted and gave her a sideways glance. "If you've got something to say: Then. Speak. Up." He snarled, struggling to keep his voice under control.

Vara whirled around to face him. "Okay, I'll speak up! I think we got taken for a ride! If you weren't so easily sucked in by a pretty woman, then-" The woman's tirade was abruptly cut short however as gunshots and shouts were heard in the distance. Leon gazed past her just in time to see the brilliant flash of a grenade.

"What the…" He began but his mouth shut as he heard a rustling and crashing in the woods ahead of him. Ripping the blaster from a holster on his belt, he crept towards the forest stealthily, his finger resting on the trigger. He then heard a soft rustle of fabric as Vara quietly unsheathed her Twi'lek spinning blade.

"I'll watch your back." She hissed and flattened her body against the ship, merging with the shadows.

Leon stopped before the woods, narrowing his gaze to see into the darkened forest. The crashing had ceased but the shouts were coming closer and closer. Raising his weapon, he called out. "Who's ou-ooof!" Leon fell hard to the ground with a thud as two cloaked figures burst through the vegetation and bowled him over.

Reaching out, his fingers wrapped around the taller figure's ankle, causing it to fall in front of him like a downed tree. Springing forward, Leon pinned the person to the ground, using his knees to flatten out its arms, and poked the muzzle of his blaster into its chest. Vara darted out from her hiding spot and pounced on the second figure as it tried to escape. "I don't think so!" She sneered, and jerked the smaller figure towards her roughly and threw back the hood. Her eyes bulged. "Leon, this one's a kid!"

Blinking, he looked down at the figure struggling beneath him. Pushing its hood away, he revealed long brown hair and a pair of angry, golden eyes. "R-Relena!" He sputtered and instantly sprang off of her.

She squinted up at him in the darkness, but recognition didn't take long to register. "Leon?"

"What's wrong? Why are you running? Who's chasing you?"

"They-" A blaster shot whizzed by her head. Leon grabbed her hands and tugged her to her feet.

"Hate to break up this little happy reunion, but I get the feeling we need to leave, NOW!" Vara bellowed and quickly clambered into the Outlaw Star with the young girl in tow. To prove the lady bounty hunter's point, a flash grenade landed a few feet away, the blast causing Relena to crash into Leon.

"Don't let the Jedi get away!" A deep voice roared as armed figures pounded out of the woods and started spraying the clearing with a steady stream of gunfire.

_Jedi? What the hell? _Leon glanced back at Relena questioningly but she pushed him forward forcefully and into the loading ramp of the ship as grenades exploded around them. She dove in after him just as the doors clanged shut, gunfire thudding against them. Panting, they laid sprawled on the floor. Swallowing, Leon turned to ask her about the Jedi comment when he felt the engines roar to life beneath him as they took off. She scrambled off the floor but the bounty hunter grasped her wrist roughly. "Not so fast…we need to talk…now."

She glanced at the cockpit and then into his eyes. "Leon…" She pleaded.

"Right now." He replied simply, but firmly. His eyes bored into hers.

She remained silent for a few moments and started to chew her bottom lip, which she often did when nervous. "Relena…" His voice softened at seeing the terror and nervousness swimming together in her eyes.

"Alright, but not here…Vara should hear this too."

His hand slid away from her wrist and they headed slowly down the corridor that led to the cockpit when his partner's voice shouted out from ahead of them. "Leon, Relena, get up her now! Something's wrong with the kid!"

Relena sprinted the rest of the way with Leon hurrying behind. Bursting into the cockpit, they found Vara in the pilot's seat, her eyes fixed on the chair next to her, and eyebrow arched. "As soon as we hit space she freaked." She turned her hardened gaze towards Relena suspiciously, an accusing spark in her eyes. "So do _you _know what's wrong with her? Since she's your sister and all. You should have told us if she was afraid of space travel. I don't want her wetting herself all over my seats."

"I'm sorry. If she wets on your seats I'll buy you a rag to clean it up with." Relena said with a sigh, causing Vara to squint at her and Leon to hold back a grin. She then knelt before the little girl, who was perched on the co-pilot's seat, her knees pulled tight against her chest, her chin resting on top. Her long, spiky dark hair spilled out over her small shoulders. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she was rocking back and forth, humming to herself.

Leon glared at Vara and gave her a warning look. She simply smirked, her eyes challenging him. "Look, she's a kid. I'm sure she's just upset about being shot at and chased. I'm sure we all would be if we were her age, so why don't you lay off, okay?" Vara frowned at her partner for talking to her like that in front of the other two passengers. She turned away and stared out the glass window and into the sea of stars.

Relena turned from Vara and Leon and focused on the girl. "It'll be okay, Fina." She whispered, stroking the back of the child's head gently. "I know it was really scary, but Leon…_Vara_, and I will make sure nothing ever happens to you ever again, alright?"

_Ever again…_ Leon pondered over her odd choice of words when Fina suddenly cracked open her left eye, revealing a large silver and violet swirled iris. She stared at Relena before slowly turning to Leon. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. _What the…_ Then she gave a single nod, barely moving her head.

"Now why don't you go get some sleep? I'll be along later to check on you." Fina stood up and obediently, and almost mechanically scuffled out of the cockpit and down the hall. Her soft footsteps faded and then disappeared.

Relena claimed the seat the little girl had just vacated and plopped down wearily. Shutting her eyes, she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Well, I promised you an explanation…"

Vara whirled around in her chair and opened her mouth but Leon waved her away. Leaning against the control panel, he faced Relena. "First of all…" She began. "My name isn't Relena. It's Relea Suna…and…I'm a Jedi." Vara's eyes widened but Leon never made a move.

"During the time of Darth Sion, I was hiding out on the Outer Rim when I was captured by the Sith." She took a deep breath, but let it out in slow shudders. Leon felt his stomach tighten but he didn't know why. "While I was captive, I heard them talking about Fina. She has a gift, a very rare ability called Battle Meditation, which is-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know what it is." Vara snapped. "Some Jedi hocus pocus where they can mess with the outcomes of battles."

After giving his partner a surprised look, Leon turned back to Relea. He could sense she was leaving a lot out of the story, judging by the expression on her face. "Please continue."

"They were using her, for Sion, so he could defeat the Jedi and keep the Republic from taking out his forces. He almost succeeded, but I escaped and took Fina with me. We hid for a few weeks so the Sith wouldn't find us, then we hitched a ride on a freighter to Ganymede. That's…" Her eyes finally opened, revealing glistening golden orbs. "That's when we met you."

Leon looked down to find his hand had slid over hers comfortingly. Her eyes flicked down to it and she smiled sadly, but gently to him. Vara rolled her eyes, feeling like she was about to throw up. _Just give me a bucket…_

"I knew there was something weird about you, I could feel it." She growled, shoving herself up roughly from the pilot's chair and starting to pace. "Who knows if that little sob story was even the truth? You lied about everything else before, this could all be a lie too."

"It's not, please, you must believe me!" Relea pleaded. "I did it to protect Fina. I couldn't tell if you were sympathetic to the Jedi or not. I mean, with the bounty out on Jedi, I didn't know…"

"Bounty?" Vara asked, a smile coming to her lips like that of a shark about to swallow a helpless swimmer, but Leon walked in front of her.

"Vara, calm down." He reached over and tried to place his hands on her shoulders but she slapped them away. Sighing, he backed off. "Look, this is a lot for all of us to handle. Let's all get some sleep and we'll talk about it in the morning." Vara frowned. _Since when did he get so damn reasonable?_

Nothing else could be said however, as suddenly, all of the alarms on the control panel went off, bathing the tiny room in a harsh red glow.

* * *

Part II: Troubles Arise

Location: (Ship) Outlaw Star, outside Ganymede airspace

"Two ships, straight ahead!" Vara said as she scanned the monitors and sensors that were displayed on the control panel in a confusing jumble of words and numbers. "They're H-class battle cruisers…" She shook her head and turned to Leon. "The kind the Sith use." Then her eyes flicked over to the Jedi to find her staring out the window.

Leon punched a few buttons on the panel, bringing up the emergency shields, which covered the ship in a vibrant, sparkling green veil. "Evade them and as soon as we're in range, punch us out. With the repairs that need done on this ship, we're definitely in no condition to fight."

Vara gave him a silent nod before sitting down and beginning to work. Leon walked over to Relea and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. She started in surprise, but didn't turn around. "What's wrong, Relea? Everything will be okay."

"That's not it." She murmured, her hand pressed against her forehead as if she had a headache.

"Then what is it?" He probed, watching as her hand started to shake.

"It's nothing!" She snapped, her eyes suddenly widening. "FINA!" With that, she fled the tiny room without even a look back.

"Relea!" He called, ready to follow but Vara's voice stopped him.

"Let her go, Leon. We've got bigger problems." He ripped his gaze from the doorway and joined his partner at the control panel. They watched as the giant silvery ships broke apart, one going left, the other going right. "Oh, hell!" Vara pounded the panel in rage. "They're firing missiles! One minute until impact!"

Leon was about to tell Vara to perform a hard 180 turn when something clicked in his mind. Vara looked up at him questioningly, hands gripping the control levers. "Uh, Leon, you have any suggestions? Right now _might_ be a good time to let me know."

"Don't do anything."

Vara reached up and stuck a finger in her ear. "You wanna repeat that? I think I might be losing my hearing, even at the tender age of 27."

Leon shook his head, agitated. Sometimes his partner's sarcasm could be humorous, and sometimes it could be downright annoying, and at that moment, it was damn annoying.

"Just trust me." He grated, closing and reopening his eyes.

Vara scoffed. "What, did that Jedi use one of her spells on your or something? We're about to be-"

"Vara?"

"What?"

"Shut up."

Shaking her head, she crossed her arms and leaned back against the seat. "30 seconds until missile to ship impact." The cheerful, female voice of the ship's computer suddenly announced. Leon blinked in surprise but Vara just let out a snort. Jezebel, the computer, (named by Vara as a reminder of the time when Leon was drunk and a Twi'lek dancer drugged him, robbed him of his "credit" card, and stole his personal ship the Lady Solaris) had stopped working a few months ago. It was only fitting that it would come to life again at their last moments.

Leon quickly got over his surprise however as the missiles loomed in front of them. Jezebel started counting down. "5…4…"

"This isn't how I wanted to go!" Vara wailed dramatically and covered her eyes. "Why did I have to have a suicidal maniac as my partner!" "3…2…" Leon didn't make a move. _My hunches are always right, well almost always…okay, okay, just sometimes! _

_"1…Missile to ship impact complete." _At the last instant, the missiles broke apart; one went left while the other went right, completely missing the ship and exploding behind them in a harmless shower of flames.

Vara spread open her fingers, her cinnamon colored eyes peering out between them. "I always thought there was a big boom and then a flash of bright light. Where's my flash of bright light?"

Leon's eyes rolled back in their sockets as he gave her a playful cuff on the shoulder. "This isn't a time to joke, Vara!"

She sighed and swiveled around in the chair to face him. "How did you know that they'd miss? I mean, they fired right at us!"

Her partner shrugged, never tearing his eyes away from the Sith ships that were creeping towards them. "Just a hunch." _More like a dumb guess…_ The sight of Relea's trembling hands and paled face flashed across his mind. _It was a warning shot…they were trying to scare us… _He glanced back at the doorway.

Vara let out a whistle. "That was some hunch. How come it never works at the pazaak tables?" Then a frown came over her lips as she turned back to the control panel. "Here they come."

Almost in slow motion, the huge warships passed by the Outlaw Star, only feet apart. Leon and Vara walked over to one of the observation windows that flanked the tiny room. The ships were so close they could see right through each other's windows.

Standing at the glass on the Sith warship was a tall figure dressed head to toe in black robes, a hulking mass of fabric that stretched to the floor. A hood hid the upper portion of his face, only allowing his mouth to be seen. His thin lips were screwed up into a cruel smirk.

Both bounty hunters felt shivers crawl up their spines. "Who the hell is that?" Vara whispered, more to herself than to Leon. "Those are some high class ships for a few straggling Sith. I thought they were pretty much wiped out?"

Leon watched as the ships continued to slide by. "Looks like we thought wrong."

Relea sat in the second bunkroom of the ship, her hands pressed against the glass as she watched the Helrayz slither past, like a great silver serpent goading its prey. Fina sat huddled in the corner, silent tears sliding down her cheeks as she started humming to herself again, but the Jedi didn't notice. Her heart was thudding against her chest. She could feel him…he was there…taunting her. Relea knew the risks when she and Fina came out of hiding, she knew he could easily find them, but the danger would be worth it, to get the girl to safety. When she would deliver Fina to the Jedi hiding out on Ortolan, it would all be over, at least for the girl. But now, it all seemed so futile, he had found them again.

That's when she saw him, on the bridge, peering out the huge glass pane at her. Even under the hood she could feel his gaze meeting hers. **_There's no escape…_**

Letting out a slight gasp, she cradled her head in her hands as an intense, searing pain flooded her brain. **_You'll always be mine…_** Her vision started to fog over as her ears started to ring like a struck bell. "Stop…" She moaned as the ringing intensified.

Relea didn't hear the footsteps echoing in the corridor, or the metallic pings as someone climbed the rungs of the ladder, coming to her rescue.

"Relea!" She let out a cry of both surprise and pain as Leon took her into his arms, both of them sliding to the floor. Reaching out, she clung to him, gathering the fabric of his shirt in bunches in her fingers.

"Get…us…out of here…please…" She croaked, before going limp in his grasp.

"Hey…hey!" He felt her pulse desperately, feeling a slow, but steady beat under his fingertips. "Vara, get us to Jericho!" He called to his partner who was waiting at the bottom of the ladder. "The Sith will let us go…for now."

Without a word, she headed back to the cockpit. Standing over the control panel, she punched in the hyperspace coordinates with a little more force than necessary…okay, A LOT more force than needed. "Jedi…" She grumbled. "He may act like a knight in shining armor now, but wait 'til she see's him when he gets to Jericho…" That thought in itself caused a small, sly smile to cross her lips.

* * *

Part III – Truth

Location: (Ship) Outlaw Star, in hyperspace

Leon glanced down at Relea, her head tucked snugly under his chin. She fit so well into his arms. _Mmm, her hair smells nice…like flowers…_ He blinked and looked around quickly, expecting someone to be there, reading his thoughts. The Jedi smiled slightly and stirred.

"Relea, are you awake?" He asked urgently, wondering if she was ever going to wake up. It had been 3 hours since their encounter with the Sith ships, and his muscles were far beyond stiff as he had sat in the same position for the entire time.

"Mmm hmm." She murmured against his chest and slowly pulled away from him. Leon scooted back against the glass and laid his head against it.

"I want to know what happened earlier. You were acting like your head was going to explode."

The Jedi sat next to him and started to pick at her robes, avoiding his gaze. "It felt like it was. It was just…a side effect of being so close to the Sith." She glanced over at Fina, who was huddled under the blankets on one of the bunks. Her chest rose and fell peacefully. "That ship that passed by earlier? It was the Helrayz, the flagship of the Sith out here on the Rim."

"I thought the Sith were almost gone; just a few stragglers here and there."

"No. There are many left. They've just been hiding…like the Jedi."

Leon frowned. "I knew that the Jedi were hiding, but…so there's a lot of Jedi left too?"

Relea stared at the corner of her robe; her picking at it had caused it to unravel slightly. Leon grabbed her wrist, causing her to look up at him questioningly. "That robe can't be that interesting. What aren't you telling me?"

She looked from him to Fina, and back to the bounty hunter. "Before I tell you anything more, you have to make me a promise."

His brow furrowed in confusion. "Uh, a promise?"

"Yes, you have to promise me that you'll take Fina to Ortolon, no matter what happens. Even if something happens to me, you have to promise that you'll take her."

"Something happens to you?"

Relea felt touched at the concern written on the man's face but simply shook her head. "No matter WHAT happens. Do you promise me?"

Leon blew out a breath through his nose. "Sure."

"You could say it with a little more conviction."

Snorting, he ran a hand through his shaggy, sandy brown hair. "What do you want me to do, pinky swear?"

"It would help." With a laugh, they intertwined the smallest fingers on their hands before Relea let out a satisfied grunt. "Okay, it's like this. The Jedi have been hiding, which you know. But after Sion and Traya were defeated, they all started gathering on Ortolan. Coruscant or Dantooine would be too obvious. When they all gathered, they had a vision…of the Sith. Not the Sith we know now…but…the True Sith. The True Sith are going to attack. Not now, but soon. So the Jedi are regrouping and training, getting ready. This fight isn't going to be like anything the galaxy has ever seen."

Leon blinked and scratched the back of his head. _Sith, True Sith…this is waaay too confusing…Ortolan…where's that? _

Suddenly, the ship gave a violent rock, causing Leon and Relea's head to bang into each other. "Ouch, dammit, what was that!" Leon swore and stood up, but another shake caused him to fall back down on his behind. "VARA!" He screeched.

"Oh hell, Leon, it's the Exchange!" Vara called back to him.

"What!"

"Look outside, you Lunkhead!" Leon scrambled to the window to see a huge gray and blue ship floating nearby, firing at them with stun shots.

Leon ran towards the ladder, leaping down it in one swift movement. The ship gave another shudder, causing him to crash into the wall. Rubbing his now aching head, he entered the cockpit. "We're in their tractor beam." Vara said simply and leaned back into the seat, propping her legs up against the control panel.

"I'm glad you can get so comfortable in a time like this." He growled, irritated as his partner's disregard for the situation.

"Well gee, Leon, you didn't mind the Sith shooting at us so I thought you'd be thrilled to be caught by the Exchange. I think if Malak himself came back to life and suddenly appeared in the co-pilot's seat, lightsaber in hand, you'd be positively giddy with happiness."

Rolling his eyes, Leon grabbed the control levers and punched in a few buttons. "Jezebel! Get us out of the tractor beam, now!"

"Yes sir, Leon Darling." The sultry voice of the computer answered and the ship gave a jolt forward.

Relea had entered the cockpit at that moment and let out a surprised snigger. "Darling?"

Gnashing his teeth in embarrassment, Leon gave the levers a harsh turn to the left, breaking them free of the beam. Another shot rocked the ship, sending all three of them to the floor with a metallic thud. An alarm suddenly sounded, a high-pitched whirr that caused them to wince. "Left engine on fire." Jezebel announced. "Fire Extinguish Unit malfunction."

"What else could go wrong?" Leon groaned, climbing into the pilot seat. Vara quickly claimed the co-pilot's chair before Relea could even get off the floor.

"Emergency shields at 32.4" The computer sounded. Vara once again propped her feet up against the panel.

"You've got your answer."

"Jezebel, get us to Jericho V at all costs!"

"Yes Leon Darling. Emergency landing initiated."

With a sudden thrust of speed, Jezebel sent the Outlaw Star and all of its passengers, screaming towards the space station of Jericho V with the Exchange hot on their heels…

* * *

I want to thank: The Chanster, The Lady Revan, and Kuramas Girl Angel for the reviews! They're very appreciated!

I was curious if anyone picked up on Relea being a Jedi in the first chapter (there were some clues)

I'm glad people like Vara and Leon. I enjoy writing their bickering back and forth.

Till next time…


	3. Chapter 3: Jericho V

Swimming Among the Stars

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars; that honor goes to the brilliant Mr. George Lucas. I just come here to dream…

FYI: I use locations, characters, and races from many other games and anime shows. I'm sorry if it bothers you but it's just the way I am!

Please REVIEW (uses Jedi mind trick…you will review…you will review…) Criticism is welcome (though it would be nice if I didn't get any, please don't be so harsh I cry) so I can become a better writer.

A/N: This chapter is much longer than the previous ones. I hope you guys like it! I'm going to take this story to the end, but I was kinda hoping to get more reviews, not that I'm not grateful for the ones I already have!

Chapter 3: Jericho V

Part I - Arrival

Location: (space station) Jericho V, entrance

Jericho V: to the shady characters of the galaxy, it was a pleasure palace; to the law enforcement, it was a treasure trove of arrests; to Leon, Vara, Relea, and Fina, it was salvation.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" Vara and Leon screamed as they clung to each other, the Outlaw Star diving wildly towards the space station. Relea closed her eyes, reciting the Jedi code over and over in her head as she clutched the sides of the chair in a death grip. Amidst all the confusion and terror, Jezebel's calm voice sounded. "Landing in 5…4…3…2…1"

With a tremendous bang, the ship screeched through the opening that led to the station's landing pad. Skidding across the smooth metallic floor, sparks, smoke, and flames flying out in all directions, the Outlaw Star came to a violent rest at the far end of the wall.

"Get your foot out of my ass, Leon." Vara growled.

"I will if you would get your armpit away from my face…" He snarled; his voice slightly muffled from being underneath her. "And while I am one to appreciate your boobs, Vara, I would like them a whole lot better if they weren't on my eyes!"

Relea tried her best to dodge Vara's flailing limbs as she struggled to climb off of Leon. There was a soft giggle in the doorway. Three heads turned to see Fina standing there, hand up to her mouth, trying to hide her smile. "Fina!" Relea exclaimed, shoving Vara off of her and onto the floor with a thud. The lady bounty hunter scowled and was about to grab the Jedi's foot to trip her when Leon slapped her hand away.

"Fina, are you okay? Are you hurt? I can't believe I left you alone like that!" She fussed over the young girl, turning her side to side to inspect for injuries.

Vara stood up, intentionally stepping on Leon's hand in the process, and plopped herself down into the pilot's seat. "Some guardian you are…" She muttered and started reading over the damage report that was displayed on the flickering green screen of the monitor. Glaring and sucking his hand, Leon took the other seat. "So what's the status of the ship?" He started shaking his right hand to get the feeling back into it.

"Nothing much. The left engine burned up, the emergency shield is out of power, the front stabilizers are shot, the hyperdrive is out of whack, and the back landing gear are missing." She ticked off the things that needed repaired on her fingers. "Not to mention the nasty dent on the nose where it smacked into the wall."

Leon cringed at all the damage, his mind whirling at all the credits it would cost. "Okay, first things first. Let's go outside and take a look around."

"Yeah." Vara agreed. "And I need a drink." Then she spied Fina. "What about the kid? We can't exactly go around Jericho with a kid. That will _definitely_ cause people to stare."

"We'll leave her here. Jezebel!"

"Yes Leon Darling?" The computer asked.

"Lock down the ship. Don't let anyone in unless they know the password."

"Password verification: Big Boob Bonanza."

Relea's eyes widened and she started to snicker while Leon's face turned a deep shade of crimson all the way to the tip of his ears. "What made you decide a name like that?"

While he was about to say it came with the ship, Vara quickly cut in. "Big Boob Bonanza is a contest that happens every six months here on Jericho in the bar. If you can't guess what goes on there, then you've spent waaay too much time held up in some stuffy Jedi enclave."

The Jedi squinted at her but Leon suddenly stood up. "I'm sure she doesn't really want to hear about it, Vara. Now let's go outside." He said, shooing the two women towards the loading ramp.

After making sure Fina was safely tucked away on the Outlaw Star, the trio emerged from the smoking hull, blinking at the bright lights of he landing pad. Vara whistled as they stepped back from the ship, surveying the damage. "Well it seems Jezebel hasn't lost her touch for great landings."

"Well I'll be, if it isn't Vara and Leon! I should have known a ship that landed like that would be carrying you two!" A deep voice bellowed behind them, echoing in the hollow space. Relea turned with a start but the bounty hunters already knew who was calling their names.

"Norton!" Leon answered cheerfully as a large man came lumbering towards them. The man was as tall as he was fat, with a large gut that hung well over his trousers. He had salt-and-peppered hair pulled back into a ponytail and a 5 o'clock shadow. A pair or dark shades were perched on his nose. He pulled both Leon and Vara into a bear hug, crushing them against his broad chest. "Hey Norton." Vara said breathlessly as she struggled to begin breathing again.

"I haven't seen the two of you out here since, well uh, since the last Big Boob Bonanza. By the way Vara, sorry that you lost. That Twi'lek had nothing on you. Yeah hers were huge, but I mean yours are-" He caught a glimpse of the strangled look that was beginning to come over Leon's face. "Well, it uh, must've been pretty hard, I mean you were reigning champ for five years."

Plastering a fake grin on her face, Vara spoke through gritted teeth. "Yeah, well, it doesn't bother me. There's always the next B3."

Leon smirked at her and she gave him a "just you wait until later" look. "So what's been keeping you busy, Leon? It wouldn't have anything to do with that pretty little brunette over there, would it?" He asked, pointing one of his chubby fingers at Relea.

The Jedi's face colored as Leon suddenly pulled her towards him. "Oh, how I could forget! Norton, this is Re-Relena Esune. Relena, this is Norton Aggraves. He's the head mechanic here on Jericho."

"I prefer Maintenance Specialist, but mechanic will do." His huge hand dwarfed hers as he shook it heartily, causing the Jedi to feel as if her arm was about to be ripped from its socket. "Pleased to meet ya. Any friend of Leon's is a friend of mine."

He stepped forward, his eyes roaming over the ship as he planted his hands on his large hips. "What did you put her through, Leon. Hell, she looks like she was used for target practice." He growled, jerking a thumb towards the ship.

"It was actually. We're lucky to even be alive right now." The bounty hunter answered.

"Hmm, this will take at least two days to fix, if not more. Since it's you guys, I'll put her on the rush list."

Vara smiled and gave him a loving pat on the arm. "Thanks, Norton, and uh, about payment…"

"Same thing as usual will do." He replied, his gaze flicking down to her chest.

As Norton trudged off to begin working, the trio huddled together. "I say we split up." Vara announced. "Being seen with a Jedi cramps my style."

Both Leon and Relea rolled their eyes in unison. "No one knows she's a Jedi." Leon said but Relea quickly cut in.

"No no no, that's ok. I don't mind if we split up." Vara's eyes narrowed. _Of course she wants to split up, she wants to be alone with Leon…what do I want more…a drink or to keep that Jedi wench away from Leon…the drink…_

The bounty hunters and the Jedi trudged up the long, metal staircase that led to the interior of Jericho V. At the top, two tall brown, scaly aliens with the face and tail of a reptile and four arms, served as bouncers. As the little group passed them, they merely nodded until one of them spied Vara. "Hey, I know you!"It growled in broken Basic, a yellow forked tongue flicking out between its parched lips. "You were da reigning champ of B3! Can I have autograph?"

Smiling smugly, Vara started rooting around in her bag. "Where do you want it?"

The alien, called an Uguv squinted his heavy lidded, beady orange eyes as if in deep thought, well as deep as the creature could think since they weren't hired for their brains. "Tongue! I want you to sign tongue!" The trio's noses scrunched up in disgust at the request.

Relea leaned over and whispered into Leon's ear. "To an Uguv, their tongue is considered the most sacred part of their body. Really, this is a compliment to Vara." Both the Jedi and the bounty hunter chuckled at the irony.

Vara frowned at them before turning back to the creature. "Fine." Finding the object of her search into the wild world of her backpack, Vara produced a tiny, flat machine. After holding it over the Uguv's tongue, her signature appeared.

The scaly reptilian was ecstatic. "Loo, she thine ma tongue!" He exclaimed, holding his tongue out like a prize for the other bouncer to inspect.

As they walked away, Leon shook his head. "You gave him an autoprint! The poor guy treated you like a holovid movie celebrity and you gave him an autoprint!"

Vara shrugged, zipping her pack closed. "Well you didn't expect me to touch that shriveled up banana peel masquerading as a tongue did you!" After see the look of amusement on Relea's face and the smirk forming on Leon, she let out an exasperated sigh. "Ugh! I definitely need a drink now." With that, she stalked off towards the bar.

Relea stopped, her eyes wide with wonder. Leon grinned at her reaction, and stopped walking so she could take the sights in. Jericho V was quite the spectacle to see. The lights were dimmed, causing the neon lights that snaked around the ceiling to cast the rooms in a hazy rainbow hue from all the cigarra smoke. An upbeat, jazzy song was being played by a band on the raised stage that was located in the central room, a soft green Twi'lek singing into the microphone, her pink glittery dress sparkling in the spotlight. On the left was the main bar, called the Sleazy Slipper, which served all manners of drinks from across the galaxy. Off to the right were alcoves brimming with slot machines and card tables; cries of delight at striking it rich or moans of despair at losing everything could heard, drifting out into the main room. Straight ahead was the dance floor, made up of multicolored tiles that changed color in time to the music.

Leon's eyes glazed over as he inhaled deeply. "Beautiful, isn't it?" He murmured.

Relea smiled indulgingly. "Oh yes…just beautiful." Just as she said it, there was a scream and the bang of a gunshot. With a thump, a Duros was suddenly tossed out of the bar, a gaping hole in his skull. A Gamorrean bouncer lumbered over and drug his body away and into a backroom. The Jedi looked up at Leon but he didn't even seem to notice. The call of the pazaak tables was getting hard to resist. "How good are you at pazaak?"

"Not bad, my Master and I…" She dropped her head for a moment, a fleeting look of pain crossed her face. "We, uh, used to play it a lot."

"Well Relea, you're about to witness the master at work! Follow me!" Taking her hand, he led her off towards the casino.

Part II – Someone Slipped Me a Mickey

Location: Jericho V

"Give me another Laigrek's Eye, only make it a double this time."

The bartender gave Vara a weary look before turning away to start filling her fourth order. The lady bounty hunter leaned back against the counter, swiveling slightly left and right in her chair as her eyes roamed over her fellow patrons. There was a Bothan and a Rodian sitting at a corner table, the little green alien was sprawled out over the top bawling his eyes out while his furry companion simply looked on, sipping a tall, frothy fiery orange drink in an iced glass. Huddled in a booth in front of her was a tough looking Gran with torn ears and a patch covering one of its three eyes, a Bith, and a human woman with sickly white skin and short, shaggy scarlet hair. All three of them were laughing hysterically at nothing, with the Gran snorting every few seconds. Vara shook her head in disgust, taking a long drawl from her newly replenished drink. "Some people just can't hold their liquor."

She swiveled around to face the counter again, setting her glass down. It slid for a few inches in the condensation that had created a puddle underneath it. Vara blinked in amazement at seeing her drink move from the spot she had set it down at. Tapping it again, it slid back, leaving a watery trail in its wake. "Wow…" She breathed but quickly lost interest. Her mind kept wandering back to Leon and Relea; it was the only thing she could actually focus on. She had seen him drag the Jedi off towards the casino, a stupid grin plastered on his face. _What's so great about her…everything was fine until she just had to come along…now everything is ruined!_ Frown deepening at the last thought, she gulped down the last bit of her beverage.

"Buy you another?" A soft, male voice sounded to her right, causing Vara to jump in surprise. She found herself staring into a pair of warm, chocolate brown eyes. The man had a handsome, perfect face that seemed to match his eyes. While Vara was never one to turn down a drink, let alone attention from a man, she usually didn't do it when Leon was around. _But Leon's not here…he's with Miss Perfect Jedi Princess…_

"Sure." She replied simply.

The man took a seat next to her and motioned for the bartender. "Another Laigrek's Eye for the lady and a Mandalorian wine for me." He tossed a credit chit onto the counter.

The bounty hunter dove back into her new drink greedily, the man watching with mild amusement, slowly sipping his. "So, what's a pretty lady like you doing alone in a place like this?" Had Vara been sober, she would have laughed in the man's face at him using such a cliché. Instead, she flashed him a pretty but stupid grin.

"I'm alone because _he's_ not here."

The man stroked his lightly bearded chin thoughtfully. "And who is he?"

"Leon!" She growled, and then hiccupped. "H-he's off (hic) with the Princessssss." She hissed the last part of the word, slowly lowering her head onto the table, a sob racking her body. "He loves her."

The man hid a snicker with a cough, and while giving her a supportive pat on the shoulder, leaned over her drink. Suddenly, her head flew back up, all the tears dried. He quickly leaned back. "That is fine with me though, I'm t-too (hic) good for…him."

"I'm sure you are. So, uh, what's your name?"

"Me?" Face screwing up in confusion, her brow knitted together. _That's a good question…what is my name…Vader, Vaya, Vara…no, that's not it…R-Relena, Relea! That's it! _"It's Relea." She gave him a grin, proud of herself for remembering her name in her drunken state.

He returned her smile slyly. "I'm Adray." _She sure doesn't act like a Jedi, but then again, the Exile didn't either. Doesn't matter, I've got her now… _She was now holding her empty glass above her head, tongue out, ready to catch the last drop of her beverage. "Why don't I buy you another?"

Slamming the glass down onto the counter, she leaned back, but forgetting it was a stool, toppled onto the floor, legs going straight up into the air. Using the opportunity to his advantage, Adray looked around before letting a tiny green and yellow capsule fall into her replenished drink with a tiny splash. "I'm OKAY!" Vara cried out, slowly pulling herself up onto the stool again. Grabbing her beverage, she quickly downed it in one swift gulp, and then let out a belch. "Mmm, yummy." She murmured, a lopsided grin crossing her lips. That's when everything went downhill.

The tablet quickly took effect, causing Vara's vision to become fuzzy, even worse because of all the alcohol she had already consumed. Groaning slightly, she ran her hand through her long black hair. "You didn't tell me you had a twin." She squinted hawkishly at Adray, blinking her eyes to clear her vision. Standing up, she weaved left and right before catching herself against a table, spilling a round of drinks on a man and his two Twi'lek companions. Everything was spinning, faster and faster, blurring together. Vara moaned, clutching her stomach in fear of throwing up. Adray was at her side then, catching her in his arms. "Looks like you've had too much to drink, honey." He murmured in her ear before gathering her limp form up and carrying the lady bounty hunter out of the bar, unknown to him that a pair of eyes watched from a booth in the corner, taking the last sip of his drink.

Part III – Master at Work

Location: Jericho V

Slapping the card down onto the table, Leon grinned smugly at the man across the table from him. "Ha, 19, beat that!"

The man's eyebrow rose. "Okay." He replied simply, and gently laid a +1 card onto the table, bringing him up to 20. Another consecutive win.

Leon squinted at his opponent, feeling his anger rise. That had been the tenth game in a row he had just lost and this guy was even a beginner! Snarling like a rabid dog, he was about to start a new game when he felt a hand on his arm. He looked up to find himself staring into Relea's golden eyes. _You could get lost in those eyes…if you're not careful…_ "Can I have a try? I might be able to win some of _my _money back."

The bounty hunter scoffed. There were three things in life that Leon Kennedy was an expert at: girls, gambling, and guns…and paper airplane building. "No offense, Relea, but how could you ever do better than me? If it's one thing I know about, it's pazaak."

Smiling coyly at him, she leaned over until her face was inches from his. "Then why are you losing more credits than you're winning?" _Women…they could be so…infuriating…_ The bounty hunter thought grumpily to himself.

Still, he wasn't convinced. "Fine, go ahead." He smiled devilishly. _There's no way she's going to win. You just have to let a woman get these silly notions out of their head …_ Relea settled down into the seat next to Leon. She slowly undid her robe and gently pushed it off of her shoulders, revealing a clingy belly shirt. Hiking up her robe, she let it drape well above her knees. If it were possible, Leon's eyes would have popped right out of his head. _I think I'm going to need a moment alone…_ He thought as his eyes ran hungrily over her. She then ran a hand through her golden brown hair luxuriously, like water running through her fingers. Leon quickly wiped the drool from his chin.

Snatching the cards from the bounty hunter's hands, Relea leaned forward against the table, resting her chest on top. Her opponent's chin might as well be lying on the floor for as far open his mouth was gaping. "So, are we going to play?" She purred.

Her opponent remained silent before finally blinking himself out of his dazed state. "Uh, yeah…" They began a game, if you could actually call it that. Relea had an 11, so she played a +8 card to bring it to 19. Her opponent had an 18, so he played a +5, causing him to lose. Leon blinked at the man's mistake and glanced at Relea. She smiled proudly at him, tossing the credits that she had just won at him. "So, did they teach you that at the Jedi Academy?" He murmured softly, peering into her eyes as her opponent stomped away in a huff, murmuring about how he was going to explain this to his wife.

The Jedi flushed, feeling a warm rush start from her toes and work its way up to her face. "It's just instinct." _Who said Jedi can't have sex appeal?_

Leon gave her a laugh before seizing his pazaak deck from her grasp. "We haven't heard from Vara in awhile. I'm going to go check on her. Be back in a little while." Relea stood up and left the casino, headed towards the Sleazy Slipper. A man, followed by a droid, was heading towards their table. The man had shaggy brown hair and was dressed in Jedi robes. The hilt of a double-bladed lightsaber swung on his belt as he walked. "Look, just one game, you know I won't lose any money." He growled at the droid. "Besides, Zara gave me permission to play."

Giving an electronic snort, the copper colored pile of walking metal stood menacingly behind the man as he settled down in front of Leon. "Clarification: I wasn't assembled yesterday, meatbag! The Master did not give you permission to play, she told you to keep watch."

"HK, say another word and I'll turn you into scrap!"

The assassin droid's blood red lights that served as eyes flashed momentarily. "Apology: I am sorry, Sharer-of-the-Master's-Bed, please enjoy your game." It still kept its rifle pointed at the man's head.

Leon glanced up at the droid apprehensively. "Hey, your uh, little metal friend there isn't going to blast me in the middle of our game, will he?"

"Exclamation: Sharer-of-the-Master's-Bed, that meatbag has insulted me! May I blast him?"

Cringing, Leon's opponent closed his eyes and massaged his temples. "First of all, quit calling me that damn name! Second of all, no you can't blast him!" He gave the bounty hunter a weary smile. "Don't worry about him. His talk is just big but he's really a maintenance droid."

The droid gave an angry metallic snarl as the two men began to play. "So what's your name?" Leon asked casually, playing a –1 card to bring his score down to 20.

"Atton, Atton Rand."

"Leon Kennedy."

The men stopped briefly to shake hands. Atton played a +2 to tie the game. A waitress stopped by their table. "Can I get you gentlemen a drink?" She purred, puffing out her chest seductively.

Atton ordered a Juma while Leon asked for Corellian ale. Just as the waitress began walking away, Leon heard his voice being called. Looking up, he found Relea leaning over him. "Uh Leon, we've got ourselves a problem! The bartender said that he saw a man carrying a woman out of the bar that matches Vara's description."

Atton eyed the woman across from him, shaking his head and biting back an amused smile. _Another Jedi. This guy reminds me of Zara and myself…_

"What! Oh boy, that doesn't sound good. Uh, Atton, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to cut our game short." Leon said as he hurriedly climbed out of his chair, nearly knocking it to the floor in his haste.

"Hey, no problem." The other man replied, gathering up his cards and shuffling them. "I hope you find your friend."

"Thanks." Leon answered as he and Relea fled the room, pushing past the Exile as she entered, ready to drag Atton out of the casino by the collar of his robes…

Part IV – Drunken Desire

Location: Jericho V

"Um, hehe, you wouldn't have any of those Jedi tricks up your sleeve would you?" Leon hissed to Relea as the pair had a staring contest with a battalion of battle droids, nearly 20 in number, who had their blasters trained on their heads. The bounty hunter and the Jedi had interrogated the patron's of the bar and about exhausted half of their credit supply to get a clue to their missing comrade's whereabouts.

"This is a restricted area." The leader grated mechanically, a glitch in its system causing its right arm to twitch. "If you do not cease to persist, you will be terminated."

"Way to not beat around the bush." Leon said with a smirk. "Sorry, but I wish to persist. How about you?" He asked his partner.

"Oh I definitely want to persist!" Outstretching her hands, Relea summoned the Force and sent out a wave of energy, causing the first line of droids to fall to the ground with a thud. Leon ripped out his blasters and started firing at the droids, ducking and dodging the returning fire. Pulling a vibrosword from the sheath at her side, the Jedi started slicing the droids, relieving them of heads and limbs in a dance of destruction. Droids fell to the ground in heaps, sparks sizzling across their exposed circuits and wires. Leon let out a slight grunt as a blaster shot grazed his arm, causing a tear in his shirt. Ready to fire off another shot, the bounty hunter found himself face to face with three smoking blaster barrels. "I don't think so!" Relea exclaimed, leaping into the air. Landing with one leg on each of the outer droid's heads, she thrust her sword down through the middle's droid's head, causing it to explode. Using her diversion, Leon shot the arm off one droid and kicked the other. The last of the metal skeletons fell to the floor with a clatter.

The pair stood back to back as they surveyed their destruction. Nudging the torso of a downed droid with the toe of his boot, Leon gave a slight snort. "Humph, don't make them like they used to."

Relea's eyes rolled back as she gave him a sharp elbow in the ribs. "We're here for a reason! We need to find, Vara, remember?"

Making their way stealthily down the hall, the pair kept themselves pressed up against the wall, even though there weren't any shadows to hide in. "Why are we up against the wall?" Relea asked, keeping her voice just above a whisper.

"Because it looks cool!" Leon answered, matching her tone. She rolled her eyes. They walked past a computer terminal, causing Relea to backtrack.

"Can you hack into one of these?" She asked, tapping her chin as she looked over the machine.

"What, you think just because I'm a bounty hunter and keep questionable company that I'm automatically a hacker!"

"Yeah."

"Well you're right, I am." Settling down into the chair in front of the terminal, he began typing, his hands flying over the keyboard. Relea stood behind him, her hands resting on the back of the chair, a headache forming as scores of letters and symbols flooded the screen.

"How do you understand all that?" She moaned, rubbing her forehead.

"I don't."

"I thought you said you were a hacker?"

"I didn't say I was a very good one."

Minutes ticked by. "This thing's security is tight. I don't know if I can break through it." Frustrated, he pounded the keys. A box popped up on the screen: Password Verification Correct, welcome.

Leon tilted he head back and looked at Relea. She shrugged. "Let's see…" He said more to himself than to her as he scanned the icons on the screen. "So uh, what am I looking for exactly?"

"Something important. I don't know, maybe something about Vara?"

"Oh yeah." The Jedi couldn't help but smile at his absentmindedness.

"Wait, what's this?" Bringing up the camera feed, Leon started checking the rooms down the hall. Room A-22 brought up a picture of a darkened room and a scrawny human male huddled in the corner, sniffing something up into his nose. He kept glancing back and forth. Suddenly he sneezed, causing his head to bang against the wall. Blinking in surprise, he fell to the ground with a thud.

"Something tells me they don't have drug tests for their employees here." Relea commented with a hearty snicker as the bounty hunter brought up the next room. Once again the room was dark but you could make out a bed in the corner with a couple…playing "checkers" as he and Vara affectionately called it. The bed moved, bumping against the wall, causing a picture to fall and clunk the woman on the head. Leon let out a snort of both pity and laughter as she abruptly sat up and rubbed her head, cursing.

"Reminds me of my first time." He said, almost wistfully. Relea gave him a playful bop on the head.

"Me too."

Spinning around in the chair, he faced her, the look of surprise on his face priceless. "You?"

"Yes me!" She barked, then a slow, almost dreamy smile came across her features. "Only it wasn't a painting that hit me, it was a tree branch."

Facing the computer again, Leon mumbled. "I still can't believe _you_ did it."

"Why? No amount of Force power can take away raging hormones, Leon!" She said with a laugh. "Now get back to work!"

"Yes, _Master_." He sniped, bringing up the third room. The image was grainy, with wavy lines snaking up the screen.

Squinting, Relea leaned forward, her face dangerously close to his. Leon had to will himself not to grab her face and crush her lips to his. _I want to kiss the crap out of her! I'm such a romantic devil… _He thought proudly to himself as he imagined the scene. "What's in that room? I can't quite make it out…"

Leon blinked away his fantasy and focused on the computer screen. "There's a chair with a woman tied up in it, two guys carrying auto's, and…hey, is that a signed picture of Aija Udoco on that wall? I love her music!"

"Oh my gosh!" The Jedi gasped, giving the bounty hunter a smack on the shoulder to get his attention. "LEON! This is no time to be ogling over some signed poster! The woman tied up is Vara!" Her voice was rising higher and higher.

Eyes widening, Leon leapt up the chair and grabbed Relea by the wrist, dragging her down the hall after him. They leaned against the wall on opposite sides of the door. "Surprise is best for this, okay? I'll kick open the door and you cover me! Ready?" Giving him a silent nod, Leon stepped back and readied himself to rush the door. The occupants inside however heard him whispering to the Jedi outside and opened the door just as he started rushing towards it. Leon flew through the doorway and skidded to a halt just before crashing into the door.

"Ack!" The woman in the bed screamed as she dropped the picture she was trying to re-hang in shock. Leon's eyes bugged as his cheeks burned in embarrassment. "Who the hell are you?" The man bellowed from the doorway, taking a dangerous step towards the bounty hunter.

Leon's jaw worked but no words came out. Relea darted in and grabbed his arm. "He's uh, my mentally deranged brother." She said. "I'm sorry for him barging in like this. Please don't hold it against him." With an innocent bat of her eyelashes, she smiled sheepishly and drug Leon out of the room, followed by a slam of the door. "Leon!" She hissed, shaking him. "How could you make a mistake like that? The room with Vara is at the end of the hallway!"

Resuming their somewhat botched rescue mission, the pair finally found the right door. "Okay, now surprise is still the best." Relea rolled her eyes.

"Oh you surprised the couple in that last room alright."

"You're not going to let me live that down are you?"

"Absolutely not."

Shaking his head, Leon slapped another cartridge into the blaster he was clutching in his right hand. "Ready?" Kicking open the door, the bounty hunter and the Jedi raced in. "Put your hands up!" Relea shouted as the two guards whirled around in surprise. Leon aimed his blasters at their heads as they slowly pointed their automatic rifles at him. "Don't do it." The Jedi growled at them, watching carefully for the first sign of one of the guards pulling the trigger. "Drop them now!"

Seeing now signs of surrender, Relea created a force wave and caused the guards to fly backwards. However, one of them opened fire as he fell, spraying shots at the Jedi. Leaping backwards and bouncing off the wall, only one shot grazed her leg as she landed. "Are you alright?" Leon cried out, heading towards her but she waved them off.

"Check on Vara, I'll disarm these guys."

While Relea collected the rifles, Leon quickly untied Vara and pulled the gag out of her mouth. "Vara, are you okay?" He knelt down, peering up into her face.

Seeing Leon, Vara's eyes widened. "Oh Leon, I knew you'd come after meeeee." She slurred, slumping forward and landing on his lap, causing them both to toppled backwards onto the floor. She lay on top of him, clumsily encircling her arms around his neck. "I just knew you wouldn't forget about me, Leon, you love me more than her!"

Raising an eyebrow, the bounty hunter gently pried Vara off of him and sat her against the chair. "Vara, you're drunk."

"I am not!" She insisted, pounding the floor with her fists. "I am lightly intoxicated." Giggling she lunged towards him, but Leon quickly dodged her working lips. "I love you, Leon! Where's Relenea, I love her too! And that weirdo kid, what was her name…"

Finished with tying up the guards, Relea came over to Leon. "How is she?"

"Oh fine, just drunk." He said with a sigh, his nose scrunching up as Vara put her face up to his.

"Helloooooo." She breathed.

Stifling a laugh, the Jedi shook her head. "She won't get violent will she?"

"No, when Vara gets drunk, she gets articulate and has this profound love for human kind."

Vara started blowing kisses at no one as Leon tugged her to her feet. "How can we get out of here? She's in no condition to walk."

Relea scratched the back of her head as she thought over the situation. "I could put her in a stasis…"

"Do it!" Leon cried out as Vara tried to wrap her legs around his waste. With a wave of her hand, Vara became frozen in place, as if she was encased in a block of ice. Lifting the lady bounty hunter into his arms, he and Relea fled the room, using a backdoor to get to the landing strip, unknown to them that a hooded figure watched from the shadows…

Part V – Departure

Location: Jericho V

"Leon, get in here!" Vara bellowed into the comm. link on the control panel of the Outlaw Star. She peered down into the glass in her hand, watching the egg yolk floating on the surface like an orange island. Leon and Relea were standing outside the ship, thanking Norton for the repairs when they heard the screaming bounty hunter's voice echoing around them.

"Hehe, she has another hangover, eh?" Norton asked, an amused smirk coming to his lips. "Well I'm sure she'll be back to her old self before long."

Leon nodded before reaching out and shaking the man's giant hand. "Thanks for everything, Norton."

"Don't thank me, kid. I just fixed that hunk of junk so it won't clutter up my garage. I couldn't get the hyperdrive fixed though, so your next stop better be to get it fixed." Then his voice softened. "You uh, take care of yourselves, ok?" The bounty hunter nodded and Relea smiled gently at him.

"Good bye, Norton, and thanks again." As the pair headed towards the ship, Norton called after them, waving a photograph in his hand. "Tell Vara thanks for the payment!"

Back inside the Outlaw Star, Relea went to check on Fina while Leon tentatively headed towards the cockpit. Stepping inside, he found himself staring at the back of her head. "Uh, hehe, hey Vara."

Slowly turning around, glass halfway up to her mouth, the bounty hunter regarded him. "About time you got in here! Didn't you hear me calling for you?"

"You'd have to be deaf not too…" He mumbled, taking a few steps closer to her.

Staring daggers into him, she downed the rest of her drink, face scrunching up in disgust. "Can we go now!"

"Sure Vara, but are you sure that it's such a good idea for you to be the piloting? I mean, with your hangover-"

"Oh, so now I can't even pilot the damn ship! Are you losing confidence in my abilities, Leon? How many times have I saved your sorry a-"

"Alright!" He conceded, putting his hands up, palms out. "I didn't lose confidence. Let me tell Relea we're going to leave alright?" The woman in question walked in however. "I got Fina something to eat. Have you cleaned that synthesizer out lately, I mean…" She stopped when she saw the wild glint in Vara's eyes and Leon vigorously shaking his head. "I mean, it's completely fine! So when are we leaving?"

"Right now!" Starting the engines, the ship roared to life. Clutching the control levers in her hands, Vara urged the ship forward, banging it into the wall next to the exit. Gritting her teeth, she ripped it backwards, causing Norton to leap out of the way outside. "Let's boogey!" She cried out and urged the ship forward and out into space, causing Leon and Relea to grip the seat. Just as they were ready to hit the open road, Vara found herself blocked by a large green ship with strange fins sticking out the side. "What the hell is that!" She exclaimed as Leon read over the scanner.

"It's a Mithra ship, the Angler's Line."

Vara frowned as she opened a comm. link between their ship and the Mithra. "Hey, your hunk of junk you call a ship is blocking my way!" She yelled. Leon's eyes widened.

"Uh, Vara, I wouldn't do that if I were you! Mithra are really quick to anger…provoking them would be a bad idea…"

"And your ship has the stupidest name I've ever heard of!" Leon cringed, shaking his head and rubbing his temples.

Over on the Angler's Line, the Mithra stood in stunned silence. "Who dares to talk to us in that way?" The captain growled, her tail flicking in agitation. "Asta!" She called.

A younger Mithra, who was sitting below the captain looked up in surprise. "Ma'am?" She questioned, her voice lightly accented.

"I want you to go out and give a few warning shots to that ship over there. No one speaks to us in that tone and gets away with it. Besides, we have the right-away here."

Asta blinked, her ears starting to twitch. "Er, me!"

"Yes you, now get to it!" The cat-woman exclaimed, settling back into her chair.

The young Mithra bowed and scampered off towards the loading dock. Finding her personal ship among the many that were parked there, Asta climbed into the Overture. "Requesting clearance for takeoff." She purred.

A few seconds passed before a digitized voice answered. "Clearance request confirmed. Have a safe trip." Igniting the engines, Asta zipped out of the Angler's Line and headed towards the Outlaw Star.

"Registration 2837-90471! You are invading Mithra airspace. Please desist to, uh, crowding us." The young Mithra tried her best to sound official and threatening all at once. Vara sniggered, her eyes rolling back into their sockets.

"She can't be serious. What is she trying to threaten me? Big mistake…" Grabbing the triggers, Vara began firing off lasers at the tiny ship that was coming towards them. Leon groaned. _It's happening again…_

"Uh Vara…"

"Hahahahaha, here kitty kitty!" Her eyes sparked as the lady bounty hunter cackled wildly. Asta let out a tiny gasp of shock as the ship began firing at her.

"They're crazy!" She yelped, jerking the Overture left and right to dodge the fire.

Vara roared with laughter as she gunned forward, shoving the tiny ship out of the way as if swatting a fly. "She thinks that little speck of a ship can go up against me!"

Leon glanced back at Relea who peered back at him worriedly. "Uh Vara…" He tried again, but his partner brushed him off. They were very close to the Mithra ship now.

"See ya lata, SUCKERS!" Vara screamed into the comm. link as she tore past the Angler's Line, leaving a trail of yellow smoke in her wake, clouding the Mithra ship's viewing windows. Asta sat in her ship, arms crossed, and eyes narrowed.

"Just wait, Outlaw Star, you will be sorry that you crossed Asta von de Ovilov!" She spat, pure venom in her words. Vara didn't realize that she had once again gained an enemy on the long list that already existed…

Back on Jericho V, a figure stood in the loading dock, watching the exchange between the two ships, a smile forming on his lips…

I want to thank: The Chanster and Kuramas Girl Angel for their reviews. They are VERY much appreciated and give me a warm fuzzy feeling. Congrats on figuring out that Relea was a Jedi, my friend who reads over my chapters for me didn't figure it out at all (poor girl, probably thought Relea was swatting at a fly when she waved her hand to cast a Jedi mind trick on Leon…)

Till next time…


	4. Chapter 4: Musings of an Unloved Soul

Swimming Among the Stars

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars; that honor goes to the brilliant Mr. George Lucas. I just come here to dream…

FYI: I use locations, characters, and races from many other games and anime shows. I'm sorry if it bothers you but it's just the way I am!

Please REVIEW (uses Jedi mind trick…you will review…you will review…) Criticism is welcome (though it would be nice if I didn't get any, please don't be so harsh I cry) so I can become a better writer.

Sorry for the wait on the update, life has been a little hectic so I'm finally able to give some of my attention to the story.

Chapter 4: Musings of an Unloved Soul

Part I – Emotions Run High

Location: Outlaw Star

"Why can't it just stop!" Vara moaned from under her pillow, which was currently clamped down over her head. It had been a week since the Outlaw Star crew had departed from Jericho V. Just as Norton had predicted, the hyperdrive was indeed on the fritz. The vibration it caused wasn't he worst part even though the floor was constantly jiggling under their feet. It didn't compare to the low, whistling whine that the hyperdrive was constantly emitting.

Relea flopped back and forth in the bunk across from the bounty hunter, her irritation growing with each fitful movement. "When are we going to get this thing fixed? It sounds like it's going to explode any second."

Vara groaned and popped an eye out from under her pillow. "Oh, so I guess hyperdrive maintenance is another of your many _talents_?"

The Jedi threw off her sheets, causing them to flutter to the floor in a crumpled heap. "No it's not, but it's definitely not one of yours either."

_Why that little…_ The bounty hunter ripped her head out from under the muffled sanctuary of her pillow, banging her head off the bunk above her. "Now look what you made me do!" She snarled, lobbing her pillow across the room like a fluffy grenade. It landed with a _thwap _on Relea's face.

"That's real mature, Vara, what are we now, kids?"

"Oh I forgot, Jedi are above such things, right?" Vara smirked, her voice matching the tone of a haughty Coruscant noble.

Without a word, another pillow was tossed across the room, catching Vara on the side of the head. That was the last straw. It was an all out pillow fight with Fina looking on in silent amusement.

"How could they let you out of the academy with crappy pillow fighting skills like these?" Vara chided as she whomped the other woman in the stomach.

Bopping Vara on the head, she snarked. "Well, I guess I missed that class."

A stray pillow from the battle flew into Fina, causing her to tumble backwards into the bunk. Relea and Vara froze, with Vara's pillow hanging precariously over the Jedi's head, her right leg raised up ready to knock Relea onto the floor. Silence settled over the room. Suddenly the pillow appeared, soaring over the bunk and landed on the floor in front of Vara. Fina's head popped up, a quirky grin lighting up her face.

"Just because you're a kid doesn't mean you can get away with that." Vara said in mock anger as she and Fina started going at it. Relea thumped both girls on the back with her pillow.

"Hey, what's-" Leon poked his head into the doorway just in time to be clobbered in the face by a feathery projectile.

The girls stopped their fight, with Relea fighting back a snicker with a well placed cough. "Very funny, picking on a defenseless guy like me."

Vara snorted. "Defenseless, that's a good one." Relea smiled and placed an arm around Fina's shoulder.

"I just came here to tell you, Vara, that it's your shift but if I knew I was going to be attacked, I would've come armed." Vara shook her head and shoved her pillow into his arms as she walked by.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going. You didn't need to come find me." She looked back to see Fina watching her with wide eyes. She stopped and peered at her, brown eyes meeting silvery-purple swirls. "Alright, kid, come on." Fina blinked in surprise but wasted no time hurrying after the lady bounty hunter.

"It's nice to see you and Vara bonding."

Relea rolled her eyes as she started gathering the mess of pillows and sheets off the floor. "I wouldn't call it bonding, but she seems to be getting a little bit used to me."

"Before you know it, you two will be sharing your deepest darkest secrets with, ow!" Leon snatched the pillow that moments before had hit him squarely in the nose. "Oh, you're in for it now, sister!" He swung at Relea's head, but the Jedi easily dodged it, using the force to snatch the fluffy lump from his hands.

"No fair." Leon whined, watching as Vara started folding up the sheets.

Turning her back to him, she mumbled. "Not my fault you're a weakling."

"You can't just say something like that and get away with it." The bounty hunter grabbed her, the momentum causing them both to topple onto the bunk.

"Leon, ack!" Relea shrieked, giggling as he pinned her arms down and started tickling her. _If my Masters saw me now…_ Relea thought to herself but shoved the thought aside, her thoughts centering on how to get Leon back for his attack.

"Do…you…take it back?" He managed out between laughs.

"Never!" She declared, trying to fight him off. It was then that they realized where they were, what position they were in. Leon blinked, feeling heat rising to his cheeks, a warm feeling in his gut. _This is just like the holovid movies! Wait… _"Leon…" She breathed, her chest rising in falling as she stared at him nervously. Slowly, he lowered his face to hers, their warm breaths on each other's faces. Her's smelled of mint, cool and inviting while his spelled like…what, juma juice, Corellian ale? He silently cursed himself for alcohol being the last thing that passed through his lips. This moment could be perfect, her warm form beneath his, a mixture of fear, guilt, and affection swirling behind her eyes all at once, causing his heart to beat painfully faster against his chest. Suddenly, the ship lurched, causing his forehead to crash into hers, knocking them both half senseless.

Vara's voice screeching over the comm. seemed to further shatter the close moment and bring them back to reality. "We've got company! Get your asses up here!" Leon sprang off of Relea as if he was scalded, his face a deep red as he muttered an incoherent apology before dashing out into the hallway. He quickly leaned against a wall for support, his breathing coming in short, ragged breaths.

Since when was he nervous? Leon had been with plenty of women, both human and non. Some were bounty hunters such as he, while others were waitresses, soldiers, performers, gamblers, prostitutes, or sometimes he even found another lonely, lost soul like his, darkened by the tragedies and hardness of everyday life or past deeds, and covered it with wisecracks, drinks, or both just to hide their true feelings and feign security, to play a part of confidence that was far from the truth. Deep down, weren't they all pretending? Never once had he found love. Leon never had a long lost lover, a love story of the past that he would lay awake at night and think about, imagining her warm skin against his or the feeling of her soft lips. He wasn't part of a story of a lover leaving him alone in a space station, watching her fly out of his life aboard a ship, leaving him to pine for her year after year. No, Leon Kayne was not a lover, he was a user.

The realization of it all hit him hard, like a kick to the chest. He used women, and tossed them aside like trash. The morning sun would come through the window, causing him to open his eyes, roll over, plant a kiss, leave credits as sometimes were required, get dressed, hop aboard the Outlaw Star and soar off, leaving an unfinished story. Maybe that was it. He was part of a saga of unfinished stories, each woman he lied with a new chapter. Did his story even really start? What would Relea be? Another used woman he left behind to never remember. Could he even place their names? But Relea is different. He forcefully told himself. Or was she? Didn't he just dwell on her soft features and curvy frame? Did he ever really appreciate her personalities and incredible skills? The bounty hunter bit down into his lower lip until he felt the taste blood. Why did he throw them away? Was he afraid of love? Leon never knew the devotion and tender guidance of a parent. After losing his abusive, alcoholic father at the age of six, he moved from one home to another until being placed in an orphanage as a last resort. That wasn't much of an excuse; plenty of people had tumultuous childhoods but grew to have meaningful lives with a wife and kids. Desperately, he told himself over and over that it was his father's fault. He drank because his father did; he used women because his father did. His Father. Just the thought of Dain Kayne brought well-hidden anger rushing to the surface. It was then he decided: He wouldn't let Relea become another endless chapter of his worthless life. He wouldn't let her become hurt. He would back away and run…like he always did…

Just a short, angsty chapter I needed to get off my chest. Don't worry, I'm not always a moody girl and the story will return to its mostly light-hearted flavor soon enough. I wanted to give you a little insight into Leon's background and show he's not just a big, goofy show-off. Thanks for reading and once again, I apologize for my absence.

I want to thank The Chanster, The Lady Revan, FFLover014 (the best friend I could ask for), and Kuramas Girl Angel for the reviews. Thank you so much! It feels nice to know at least someone likes my story. Till next time…


	5. Chapter 5: Past and Present Collisions

Swimming Among the Stars

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars; that honor goes to the brilliant Mr. George Lucas. I just come here to dream…

FYI: I use locations, characters, and races from many other games and anime shows. I'm sorry if it bothers you but it's just the way I am!

Please REVIEW (uses Jedi mind trick…you will review…you will review…) Criticism is welcome (though it would be nice if I didn't get any) so I can become a better writer.

A/N: I'm really really sorry about the long delay for an update. School, being sick, and a broken heart has kept me from updating. But here I am. Also, just to warn you, I don't like this chapter. I had writer's block at least 10 times while writing it. Also to my reviewers: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR STAYING W/ ME! To Adrianna: It feels good to know my story caused you to register. Thank you! To Rian Sage: If I understood your question right, Relea is just a Jedi, no one famous in disguise.

Chapter 5: Collisions

Part 1 – Better Shampoo

Location – Macbeth (planet), Aidore spaceport

"You know, I'm not some rookie." Vara stated, thinking her thoughts out loud as she sat in the cockpit, idly drumming her fingers against the control panel in a marching beat. "I know he just wants to get rid of me." She stared down at the blinking lights on the panel; their green and red beams were mirrored in her cinnamon eyes. "I think him saying he wanted to make sure the Exchange wasn't around was just another ploy to keep me here."

Frowning, she leaned back into the pilot's chair, resting her crossed legs on the panel. "I mean, you didn't need anyone to look after you either. Back on Jericho you made out just fine being shut up here on the ship…" Her violet lips dipped into an even deeper frown, her forehead creasing in thought. "He thinks I don't know what's going on, that he just wants to be alone with Relea. I've seen the way he's always looking at her. You'd have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to notice her looks, and Leon isn't deaf or blind." Reaching up, she started to nervously toy with her leather necklace, its thin strands running around her neck and over her shoulders. Her fingers slid over the tiny, wooden lavender beads.

"I'm not that ugly, am I?" She mused out loud, peering at her reflection in one of the data screens on the control panel. Her face peered back at her in an eerie green glow. Hands traveling up to her hair, she started fingering the thick ebony strands, running them over her fingertips. They weren't silky and shiny like Relea's; more course and thicker. Next time she went for supplies she'd have to get a better shampoo. _Since when did I worry about this kind of crap?_ Giving an exasperated growl, she raked her fingers through the thick mess, trying to tame her wild locks. Maybe a braid? What would that look like? She started winding the strands together, creating a haphazard braid sticking out the side of her head, making her look like a disheveled 12-year-old instead of an experienced bounty hunting and smuggling extraordinaire. "Screw it!" She snarled, and quickly undid it and started putting her hair up into its usual ponytail. "I should just leave it like this, shouldn't I?"

Fina stared blankly at Vara for a moment before her head bobbed up and down as the woman smoothed out the top of her hair. "Do you think it's her looks that he likes so much?"

The young girl's small shoulders went up and down, her eyes locked onto Vara's. The bounty hunter gave a shudder. _Creepy… _"You don't have much to say, do you?"

She blinked, but made no sound. Vara sighed and swiveled back around in her chair to face the nose of the ship. "I don't know why I'm telling this stuff to a kid like you."

"_Because you need someone to talk to."_ Vara's eyes widened and she swiveled back around, so suddenly that she spun around twice before she finally faced Fina. She gazed at her as if the girl had grown a second head.

"What did you say!" She demanded, but Fina only peered back at her innocently. _I'm not crazy…not very crazy…_

"_Of course you're not."_

After staring each other down, Vara finally conceded. "I don't care if Leon told me to stay put or not. Come on, squirt, I need a drink."

Part 2 – Swamp Buster

Location – Macbeth (planet), Aidore spaceport

Leon peered moodily down into his drink, tilting the glass back and forth in his hands, watching little waves of ale slop up around the sides, staining the glass brown in their wake. It had been two hours since they had crash-landed on Macbeth, an untamed, dustbowl planet, after being chased down by the Exchange again. If the Outlaw Star crew had any hope of escaping the planet, they needed repairs, but repairs credits, something they were very low on after their escapades on Jericho V. Also, Relea got word that she was going to meet another Jedi here for a package. That was the only words they had said to each other after the 'moment' during the pillow fight. He had mustered up enough strength to make himself distant, even cold to push her away. When he snapped at her on board about not wasting time when meeting her Jedi colleague, the surprise and pain in her eyes tore him apart, but it was best this way. Rule 1 of bounty hunting, no wait, Rule 1 was not ticking off a juiced up assassin. Rule 2 was not to fall in love with whoever hired you. Even though there weren't actually set rules for the profession, Leon made them up then and there to convince himself breaking their growing closeness was the right thing for both of them. If it was right, why did it hurt like hell?

Bringing the glass to his lips, he took a long pull, letting the alcohol slide down his throat, lighting it on fire. It felt good. It always felt good. He took another gulp, emptying the glass before plopping it down on the plasteel counter with more force than necessary to get the barkeep's attention. He was too angry and too tired to talk. Let the bang of the empty glass do the talking for him.

The rusty hued Twi'lek glanced at him while clearing up emptied glasses and placing them back on the shelf, unwashed and still stained with the previous customer's alcohol. "What'll it be, buddy?" He grumped in his native tongue, taking a swig out a bottle of some ruby wine with black specks floating in it. Leon vaguely wondered if the specks were dirt or bugs.

"Give me a…Dagobah Swamp Buster." The bartender stared at him with a mixture of astonishment and awe.

"A…swamp buster?" He questioned, wondering if he had heard the bounty hunter right. The Dagobah Swamp Buster was considered the hardest of hardcore beverages, not just for its alcoholic content, but for its soupy texture, pukey green tint, rancid scent, and floating vegetation on top. Not many in the galaxy could drink one; even some of the heaviest drinkers would spill their guts as soon as the glass was halfway to their lips. Leon's father had been a fan of the putrid drink, and his skill in downing one had been passed on to his son. Swallowing, the Twi'lek turned away and started assembling the beverage, gagging everyone now and then as he added a new ingredient. Leon glanced down at his chrono, wondering why Relea hadn't contacted him yet. _Wait, I shouldn't be thinking of her! Damn it! Stop, Leon, stop! You're backing off, remember! _Gnashing his back teeth together, Leon scrunched his eyes shut and smacked his forehead. Cracking open an eye, he found the bartender staring at him, nose pinched shut, holding the green mixture out to the bounty hunter gingerly, afraid to get any of the concoction on his skin.

Leon could feel the eyes of the other patrons on him as he put the glass to his lips, taking a sip of the beverage. He sighed in pleasure, his tongue darting out to lick off a piece of plant from the corner of his mouth. As he tipped the glass up for another go, the head of a Duros popped into the cantina's entrance. "Hey, he's back! Nayt Durse is back!"

Nayt Durse: The famed bounty hunting, murdering, smuggling, drinking, driving, gambling, pazaak player that was feared by many and revered by even more. And he was here, on Macbeth.

The bounty hunter choked on his drink, spewing it out on the counter like a fountain of pond water. _Nayt Durse! Vara! Oh hell… _Leon jumped off the stool, threw a credit chit on the counter, and dashed outside in one swift movement, leaving a cantina full of excited, babbling patrons.

Part 3 – Catch Up

Location – Macbeth (planet), Aidore city, Gallee Ade'as's apartment

Rolling the cylinder from her right hand to her left and back again, the young woman gave a happy sigh at the familiar feeling of the metallic hilt against her fingers. "You don't realize how much you miss it until it's gone from your side."

Relea looked up at fellow Jedi Gallee Ade'as, a lithe, dark-skinned Jedi not much older than herself. "That's the truth." She answered as Gallee motioned for her to take a seat on one of the worn leather chairs that adorned her sparse apartment.

"You look…drawn, Relea. Are you alright?" Her ruby eyes searched the other woman's golden ones.

Relea leaned back into the cushion and let out a slight sigh with a twinge of exhaustion and sadness.

"Oh, I'm fine. Just a little tired. Things have been pretty hectic lately."

"Hectic?" Gallee gave a warm chuckle, slightly raspy from her husky voice. "That's putting it mildly. I heard of your exploits on Jericho V." At the surprised expression on Relea's face, the other Jedi laughed again. "Don't look so shocked. You can't be chased by the Exchange and plow through a Mithra ship without being noticed. Speaking of all these acts, I must say, your choice of…_companions_ surprises me."

It was Relea's turn to chuckle. "I'm sure they do, but that's why I chose them. No one would expect a Jedi to travel with a group of people like that." A wistful smile fleeted almost undetected across her lips. "They're actually not that bad once you get to know them." _Oh Leon…_

_Almost _undetected was the key word as Gallee raised a questioning eyebrow but she said nothing. "Would you like a drink of water or something? You can't travel around this dust bowl for long without becoming thirsty." Relea shook her head but Gallee got up to pour one for herself. She walked over to a small stand and filled a glass with water from a clay pitcher. "I didn't just ask you here to give you your saber back. There have been sightings of…" She paused, taking a sip of her drink, watching Relea carefully over the rip of the glass.

Relea put her hands up to stop the other Jedi's explanation. "You don't need to tell me, I already saw him, about two weeks ago." She dropped her head, studying her hands, swallowing hard.

Gallee's heart went out to her friend. "I can't even imagine how hard it is to lose your master to the dark side, Relea." She began slowly, carefully choosing her words. "But don't let his failure become yours. It's not your fault."

"Isn't it!" Relea burst out, but her hardened, angered tone didn't seem to surprise Gallee Ade'as. "I was there when they broke him. Once he fell, he kept me prisoner for three months before I escaped. I should have tried to reach out to him more. I gave up too quickly!"

"He was too far gone, Relea. He wanted his dark power. He reveled in it."

"But I was his Padawan! He would have-"

"He would have what? He tortured you." Relea's breath caught in her throat at the reminder, old wounds feeling suddenly fresh and raw. "Are those the acts of a loving Master?" Those last words seemed to be the final thrust of the knife blade.

Tears lingered in her eyes. "No…" She finished lamely.

There was silence until the older Jedi started talking like nothing happened. "One of my contacts told me that he heard news of a Sith ship heading towards the Core. We think he's heading to-" Suddenly, a vision flashed before Relea's eyes, causing her to leap to her feet.

"Gallee! Watch out!" She screamed but it wasn't in time. As if viewing the scene from outside her own skin, Relea watched in horror as Gallee turned in surprise, only to clutch at her neck before sinking to the floor in a matter of seconds. The Jedi dropped to her knees, cradling Gallee's head in her hands. She stared up at Relea with sightless pink orbs. Dead; killed instantly from the prick of a dart to the neck. The skin around the entry point was already turning yellow and scaly. _What the… why hadn't Gallee sensed it? Why didn't she have a vision too!_

Relea didn't have anytime to continue these thoughts however as four figures suddenly appeared outside the window, dangling from ropes attached to the roof. Clad only in black and reeking of the dark side of the Force, they were enough to instill fear in anyone. Leaping through the windows, glass shards rained down all around them as they landed and rolled behind furniture, one by one igniting their sabers, bathing the room in a crimson glow. Relea leapt backwards, coming down softly behind the chair she had only moments before been sitting in, a soft pink light emanating from her double-bladed saber. Two of the attackers came at her from both sides, their single sabers twirling in a blinding array of red streaks before her eyes. Using the Force to increase her strength and guide her arm, Relea threw her saber at the left attacker. He blocked it, but as it returned to her hand, she turned her wrist and blocked their combined attacks. Using the momentum, she swung the saber up and around, cleanly decapitating the Sith on her right side. His head fell to the floor with a muffled thump, his body joining it seconds later.

The second attacker managed to land a blow to her arm while she was distracted, but her fancy footwork allowed her to escape with only a charred slash to the elbow instead of losing half her arm. She let out a grunt of pain and swung back. Both sabers met with a hiss and shower of sparks. They parried and feinted, each staring into the other's eyes. Her golden one's met cold steely one's, causing a chill to rush through her bones. As they continued fighting, another vision came to her sight. Smiling, she feinted again but this time, he didn't keep up with her. Relea plunged a blade of her saber into the Sith's chest with a sickening sound of scraping bone. He gurgled and sputtered in surprise, his arms reaching out towards her, grasping for her neck but the Jedi gave him a kick to the gut, throwing him back against the wall.

Pain was starting to creep up Relea's arm, crawling up to her shoulder like a sparking wire. Cringing, Relea went even deeper into the Force, putting herself into an almost trance-like state. The world around her slowed to a crawl, the colors blending together and the voices muffling. One could almost get the same effect from an enhancing stimulant. The third attacker was also delving heavily into the Force, using it to add speed to his movements and focus to his attacks. They traded blows with their sabers before backing off and circling each other like kath hounds, exchanging menacing glares. They went at each other again, going high and low, the lightsabers spitting red and pink sparks. The Sith leapt backwards, twirling his saber through his hands with ease. "Is that all you got?" He growled, pointing the tip of his sizzling sword at her. Relea rolled her eyes at the common battle taunt that everyone seemed to enjoy saying but said nothing in response. Instead, she rolled along the floor, coming up beside him on her knees and swinging her weapon at his legs. The Sith jumped straight up, but Relea was too quick. She twisted her arm, bringing the double-bladed saber vertical, which he landed on, impaling himself. _Three down, one more to go._

Suddenly, Relea gasped in pain, her eyes widening as knifing pains erupted from her shoulders and knees. Blood was already starting to seep through her robes. Her eyes caught a glint of light off of the glass shards protruding from her skin like serrated blades. Through watering eyes, she looked up at the last Sith. He was standing near the window, a smile on his face, pieces of shards floating in front of him. He was using the Force to turn the glass into tiny projectiles. Shakily, she managed to rise to her feet, taking anxious gasps of air, hoping to enter into the battle trance one more time. _I'm not going to make it… Oh Leon, why couldn't you realize…_

Part 4 – What Comes Around…

Location: Macbeth, Aidore Spaceport

"It's been four years, Nayt. Can't you just let it go?" Vara asked with a sigh, but still eyed the barrel pressed against her chest wearily. Fina carefully peered around the bounty hunter, her eyes locking with the Zabrak before she darted back behind Vara. The Zabrak gave an involuntary shudder when his eyes met hers. _What a creepy kid…it's not a surprise Vara is traveling with someone like that…_

"I don't know about you, but I find being left on an asteroid a _little_ hard to forget."

Vara shook her head and sighed again. "Some people just get upset over the silliest things." Nayt pushed the barrel of his repeating blaster harder against her chest.

"I've been waiting a long time for this moment and you're definitely not talking your way out of this one." The Zabrak growled, his finger sliding over the trigger. "Now let's go…"

Vara hesitated but it wasn't hard to see that her former partner wasn't in the mood for negotiation, so she obediently started trotting towards the direction that Nayt pushed her towards. But she wasn't going to give up this easily. Vara, bounty hunting and _former_ smuggling extraordinaire, always got the last word. Glancing down at Fina, she saw the fear behind the young girl's eyes. Looking back and forth, Vara reached down and snatched the child's hand in hers. Fina gave her a startled look but Vara pretended nothing happened. The gesture didn't go unnoticed by the Zabrak however. _How things change…_ After walking for a few minutes, they came up to a huge, rusted warehouse. Nayt shoved Vara roughly through the door with Fina being jerked in behind her. The bounty hunter found herself staring at a sleek, silver aircraft, glinting in the light filtering through the ceiling. "Looks like you're doing pretty good for yourself, Nayt. Maybe dropping you off in the Stone Hedge was a good thing for you. Look how life's improved for you. That armor you're wearing looks nice on you by the way."

Nayt's gaze hardened. "I almost killed myself because I was starving on that damn rock."

Vara peered at her reflection on the ship's surface. "Well, we can't all get what we want."

Reaching out, the Zabrak shoved her to the floor, waving his weapon in her face. "Shut up. I've spent the last six months tracking you all over this damn galaxy. You're not talking your way out of this one." He raised his weapon level with her forehead.

"Not so fast, horn head. The bounty huntress will be coming with me." All three heads turned to see a hooded figure standing on the catwalk above them. With a toss of its head, the figure's hood flew back, revealing…a cat. Well, more a cat person than that of the domesticated pet variety. Reaching down, the cat woman swiftly pulled out her blasters, spinning them through her fingers. Actually, that's what she wished would have happened. In reality, the blasters got caught in the holsters, causing her to tug at them furiously but unsuccessfully for a few moments before giving up lamely in frustration. Everyone down below let out a disappointed groan at the revelation and failed attempt at the spinning blasters routine. Asta hissed in frustration at her less than blockbuster entrance. Minutes ticked by in silence. Vara and Fina turned back to Nayt.

Rolling his eyes, he turned his gun back onto Vara, ready to pull the trigger.

"Hey, hold on just one minute, bucko!" Asta hissed, her accented voice dripping with venom. "This is my bounty, not yours. I have a much better reason to capture her than you do."

"Oh yeah?" Nayt asked, leaning against the hull of his aircraft, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Do tell."

Asta blinked in surprised, but quickly fished around in the pockets of her vest. "Just a second." She pulled out a small datapad the size of her palm and started reciting a monologue, glancing down at the screen every so often. "I, Asta von de Ovilov, has been following the human specimen, Vara Solo, since Jericho V, where she cut off the passage of my Captain's ship and bumped my aircraft out of the way after repeated warnings. For that humiliation, I have been cast out of my clan and will not be allowed back until I have redeemed myself by capturing this abomination to the human race and bringing her before the Mithra High Council back on Vana'diel for her crimes against the Mithra race and her Majesty's service."

Clapping, Vara let out an amused snort. "Bravo. How long did it take you to learn all that?"

Nayt shook his head. "That's nothing compared to my reason. We used to be partners in a smuggling business. All of a sudden one day, she strands me out on the Stone Hedge, naked, without any supplies. Let me tell you, that was interesting trying to explain the part about not having supplies to the pirates that found me."

Vara and Asta stared at him for a moment before the feline continued her tirade.

"Try me, horn boy." Asta spat, finally able to remove her weapons from her waist and managing to pull off a couple awkward twirls, but it still managed to look half threatening. Letting out a battle cry, the Mithra leapt down to the floor, rolling to avoid damage from the fall. She and Nayt traded shots, dodging and weaving, using anything as cover. Vara and Fina watched, there gaze darting back and forth, trying to see all the action.

"Who do you think will win, Fina?" Vara asked. "My credits are on Nayt. You don't sleep with a guy without knowing his abilities…" She blinked and Fina blinked back. "With a blaster…" The girl nodded. Reaching into her back pocket, the lady bounty hunter pulled out her communicator and pressed a tiny silver switch on the side, turning on her tracking beacon. Asta let out a hiss of pain as a blaster shot grazed her right arm. Nayt jabbed a medpac into his leg as he pulled the ring off of a flash grenade. Lobbing it at the cat woman, he went for cover behind his ship. Suddenly, Fina's eyes popped open, and she tugged furiously at Vara's arm. "What is it, Squirt?" Vara asked, one eye on the girl and the other on the Zabrak and Mithra as they tossed aside their blasters and went for blades. Now it would get interesting. But after meeting the young girl's eyes, she knew something was wrong. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck starting to tickle.

A gigantic explosion rocked the warehouse, causing the metal building to heave and sigh with the impact. The great double doors were blown apart and sent skidding across the floor and into the back wall. Black smoke poured into the cavernous rooms. Things were about to go real wrong, real fast. As those words crossed Vara's mind, she felt a fiery pain in her shoulder and the world went black.


	6. Chapter 6: Dark Intentions

**Swimming Among the Stars**

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars…that honor goes to the brilliant Mr. George Lucas and I just come here to get away from it all…

FYI: I use locations, characters, and races from many other games and anime shows.

Please REVIEW! Criticism is welcome (please don't be so harsh I cry) so I can become a better writer.

A/N: I would like to thank FFLover014, Adrianna Nemm, Wyvern Ryder, Bald as Malak, and Mr. Frodo for reviewing! I love getting reviews and I want to thank you guys for taking the time to do it. To Mr. Frodo, I thought you only put 'he said' in small caps if the dialog ended w/ a comma. Thanks for pointing that out; I'll try to change but I'm so used to doing it this way so it might take me a little bit. To Bald as Malak, thank you for adding me to your C2. As for the long wait for a new chapter, I'm sorry for the delay but I've been w/o a computer for a while and I've been sick. Now, on with the show!

**Chapter 6: Dark Intentions**

**Part I – Ultimate Control**

**Location: Helrayz, unknown space**

There was no remorse in his eyes. That was the first thing that Lieutenant Hoden noticed as he risked a glance at the Commander and then to the crumpled body lying on the floor. When the cloaked figure looked up and met the Lieutenant's gaze, the young man quickly busied himself at the console before him, his stomach tying itself into knots. "You have something to say, _Lieutenant_?"

Hoden froze and swallowed. "No, Master." The Commander could say any sentence with such a skill that it always reminded you of your own mortality.

The Sith Lord rose from his throne, stepping carelessly over the corpse that had been Caption Pau, and headed towards the Lieutenant. He paused in front of him, and then lowered his face until it was a mere inch from Hoden's. Blue eyes met with sickly golden ones. "I'm sensing that you have some…problem with what just transpired here."

"No, I-" His sentence was cut short however as the Sith reached out and wrapped his fingers around the young man's throat. With one swift movement, he lifted the soldier over the console and dragged him across the floor. The rest of the bridge went dead silent, but averted their eyes, knowing better than to stare.

Hoden gasped for air, clawing feebly at his Master's iron grip, his gaze becoming watery. Suddenly, he found himself face to face with the sightless orbs of Captain Pau, the man's mouth opened in a gaping 'o' of surprise. "Do you see what happens when someone questions my authority, Hoden? Do you see?" He gave the young man's neck a good squeeze, using the power of the dark side to infuse pain into his grasp. "That could be you right now. You would do good to remember that." Then he relinquished his hold on the Lieutenant and headed back to his seat. Hoden sat on the floor coughing and wheezing, gulping in oxygen. His hands shook, his gaze still on the fallen Captain. "Back to your post, Lieutenant." The Dark Master said simply, acting as if nothing had happened.

Ensign Surs spoke up, her wavering tone showing her fear. "Master, w-we have a hit in the system. She's in the Outer Rim, on the planet Macbeth." After a few button presses, a holographic projection of the planet hovered before the Sith Lord. "We haven't been able to pinpoint her exact location however."

The Sith peered at the image for a few moments, using switches on his throne to zoom in onto the brown, dusty planet. "I will be able to find her if I meditate," he snarled, standing up and heading towards the elevator. "The bond between master and student is not easily severed. No one is to disturb me." He stepped into the lift. "Oh, and Hoden." The Lieutenant's eyes bulged and he fell to his knees.

"Aaaahhhh!" He let out a piercing scream as he jerked back and forth, pawing wildly at his head like a crazed animal, but nothing could purge the searing pain inside the young man's brain. Blood splattered against the wall, staining the silver crimson. Then he was silent. The elevator doors closed.

**Part II – The Big Sleep**

**Location – Macbeth (planet), Aidore city**

Relea bit her lower lip and steadied her breathing. With a swift move of her hand, she pulled another piece of glass from her shoulder. She gasped and let out a whimper. Her force powers were depleted; she would die if she didn't stop the bleeding. There were still shards under her skin, but there was nothing she could do about those now. She laid her head back against the wall and closed her eyes, fighting the sickening feeling in her stomach. She couldn't get used to the smell of burnt flesh, a downside to using a lightsaber.

She couldn't remember a time where she felt this tired…this…alone. The young Jedi let out a sigh. What was everyone doing now? She tried to reach out, but she was just too exhausted to even feel a glimmer of anything. Her eyes jerked open. There was a blast in the distance, even this far away she could feel the ground rumble beneath her. She had a sneaking suspicious that somehow her companions were involved. Vara might as well be the synonym for explosions.

Relea could feel herself start to drift into unconsciousness. That wouldn't be good. Tapping into strength she didn't know existed, she summoned her last tendrils of the force and placed herself into a Force Sleep. Her breathing stopped and she slumped forward.

**Part III – Stupid Girls**

**Location – Macbeth (planet), Aidore City**

Leon stomped down the street, his hands in his pockets, mumbling to himself, which caused more than a few curious glances and whisperings his way. "So Relea runs off meets with a Jedi without telling me. Vara takes the kid and leaves the ship without telling me. What _is_ the matter with these people? Is there a sign on my back that says moron?" He glanced over his shoulder just to make sure. With Nayt on the planet, there was bound to be trouble, and Vara just _had _to pick today to run off alone. He turned the corner and glared at a dog laying on the sidewalk for no reason.

Suddenly, the communicator in his pocket started to vibrate. He flicked it on and was met with a grainy black and white image of Vara. "Um, hehe, hey Leon…" She gave him a toothy grin like a kid who was trying to convince her parents that it definitely wasn't _her_ ball that shattered the neighbor's widow.

"Vara! Where the hell are you? You weren't supposed to leave the ship! Is Fina with you?"

The young girl's face appeared. Leon frowned. The last time he checked, Fina didn't have a furry brown tail. Someone sneezed. Leon's frown deepened.

"See? The kid's fine. What do you think I am, some lightweight?" Vara growled, her tone instantly turning accusing. "You never have faith in me. I don't get into trouble nearly as much as you do."

"What? I do not get into that much trouble. At least I don't go around flipping-wait, quit trying to change the subject!"

Vara grinned wickedly at him. "Quit arguing! We have more important things to attend to." An accented voice sounded to Vara's left. The image whipped around and Leon found himself staring at a cat, well more or a cat woman than that of the milk licking, mouse chasing kind.

"Mmm, you are handsome…" She purred, her eyes squinting to skinny slits. There was the sound of a slap and then the Mithra hissed and swiped at something off screen.

"Uh, WOMEN." Now the screen panned right, across Vara's face as she mimicked the cat, and onto a face all too familiar.

"Nayt!" Leon sputtered, but the horned humanoid waved him away.

"Don't worry, Leon, I'm not chopping up Vara and hanging her up by her entrails." Vara and Asta stopped arguing and stared at Nayt. Nayt peered back at them. Fina swallowed. Silence. "We have a…truce-but just for now. Some exchange showed up and crashed our party."

Leon stared at the screen for a moment. His life would be so much easier if he just turned off the communicator and walked away. "I'm not going to ask any questions, I have a headache already. So where exactly are you guys?"

A map came up on the screen with a blip blinking up towards the right corner. "That's us, in the warehouse. Knock five times on container 52048 of the Ganymede Seafood Service so we'll know it's you."

"You…you're in a seafood container?" Leon started to snicker.

"Just…don't ask." Vara sighed but her sentence was cut short at the sound of metal scraping metal. Light flooded the tiny space of the screen.

"Well, well, well, what DO we have here?" There were the sounds of a struggle, gunshots, something hitting metal, a screech, someone telling someone to get off her tail, and shouts. Then the screen went black.

Leon peered down at his watch. Relea had been gone for almost 8 hours. He swore. What was he supposed to do? Go after Vara or Relea. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. He could feel something pulling him back towards the ship. He would get Jezebel to break into the encryption program and find out where Relea was headed. So he took off towards the Outlaw Star, muttering under his breath, "Stupid girls…"

**Part IV – Entrapment**

**Location – Macbeth (planet), Aidore City**

Daj smiled triumphantly at the screen. "We have found them, Master. Our men have stormed the warehouse where they are hiding."

Ovono's thin lips curled up into a vicious grin. "Excellent." He hissed from the shadows. "But remember, I want them alive."

The Dug smiled at his leader's viciousness, knowing that his Master wanted to enact some cruel and sadistic torture on the humans that he chased after so tirelessly. "It will be done, my Lord." He bowed and ended the transmission. Turning from the blank screen, Daj peered out the glass at the warehouse, watching the smoke billow out the openings of the building. Once this little distraction was over, he would get his credits, fly to some tropical planet, and lay on the beach surrounded by Twi'lek females. "Lower the ship and block the doorway," he instructed the piloting droid, "I don't want them escaping this way."

**Part V – Burning Rubber**

**Location – Macbeth (planet), Aidore City**

Relea cracked open an eye and found herself quivering. It wasn't her limbs however that were shaking; whoever was holding her was crying. "Why did you do that!" A voice wailed a figure buried its face into her robes.

"L-Leon?" She croaked, blinking a few times to clear her blurred vision.

"Now I'm hearing things!" The bounty hunter moaned, sniffling as he stroked her hair.

Relea bit back a smile. "Um…Leon." She placed her hand on his shoulder. The crying instantly ceased.

"Y-you're alive! I thought you were dead! You were so pale and, and-don't EVER do that to me again!" Leon bellowed, shaking her back and forth. The Jedi winced. The Force Sleep had healed most of her wounds, but she still needed to remove the imbedded glass.

"I had to do that to heal my wounds, Leon. I didn't think anyone would come to rescue me so-"

Leon smacked his forehead. "Rescue! Vara!" He gathered Relea up into his arms and took off towards the door. He ran for a few feet before slowing down to a trot. It wasn't easy to run with a woman in your arms, and Leon had plenty of practice.

"Leon, where are we going?"

"Vara contacted me earlier, she's in trouble!"

"And you expect to rescue her by carrying me? Here, put me down." She scrambled out of his arms and grabbed his hand. "Now hold on tight." Using her newly replenished force powers, she took off into a force run, dragging a confused and terrified Leon after her. Feet barely touching the ground, the duo exploded out of the apartment and down the street. "Which way?" She called out to the blur next to her.

Leon was so busy trying to get his lips to stop flying open from the speed that he almost didn't hear her. "The dockyards, on the east side."

Suddenly, she stopped, a few seconds before Leon that caused him to snap back and almost topple to the ground. "We need some transportation…" Her eyes settled on a motorcycle parked along the road. "Bingo…"

She climbed on and revved up the engines. Leon stared at the tiny seat. "Where exactly am I supposed to sit?"

The Jedi pointed at the sidecar. "That's all you, Buddy."

The bounty hunter squinted. "If you think that-"

"JUST GET IN THE DAMN CAR!"

With no more complaints, they were off…

**Part VI – Escaped…almost**

**Location – Macbeth (planet), Aidore City**

Vara slowed to a stop and peered around the corner. Her followers weren't so lucky as they crashed into the lady bounty hunter and sent her flying onto the floor. She growled and rolled over onto her butt. "Way to be stealthy, guys."

Asta chuckled, her velvety laugh echoing in the cavernous hallway. Nayt smirked and Fina reached up and plucked a fish off of one of his horns. Vara stood up and stomped down the hall. "Let's just keep going." She checked her ammo clip. One bullet glittered in the light as well as a sardine. She shook her head and dumped the tiny fish onto the floor. "If I ever see another article of seafood again, I'm going to explode."

Asta dangled the shrimp she just fished out of her hair before Vara's eyes. Vara reached over to backhand her when Nayt snatched her arm. "Ladies…COULD WE?" They stopped and looked around. "Where's the kid?"

Fina was nowhere to be seen. "Great, look what you did. You lost the kid." Asta shook her head. "Typical." Fina's head then popped around the corner a few feet away. She beckoned them to follow her. The group headed her way and found themselves outside.

"Freedom!" Asta exclaimed as Vara shoved past her.

"Not so fast. Who the hell is that?" They watched as two figures on a motorcycle headed towards them at top speed.

Nayt smiled viciously, reaching into a sheath and producing a long, thin, jagged blade. "Leave them to me. Back inside." The Iridonian crouched down into the shadows. As the motorcycle flew past them, he leapt, landing on the passenger and ripping him from the sidecar. They rolled along the ground, punching and kicking each other. Nayt used his superior size to pin the figure, and pressing his blade against its throat, ripped off its helmet. It landed a few feet away in a billow dust.

"Leon!"

"Nayt!"

Vara smirked and stepped out of the warehouse. "Now that you two know each other." Relea jumped off the bike before it came to a stop, brandishing her lightsaber, running towards Leon.

"Put the pink Popsicle away, Relea." Vara said with a sigh as she hauled Nayt off of her partner and Asta helped Leon to his feet. The Jedi eyed the Iridonian wearily before extinguishing the blade and putting it back onto her belt.

"So what are you guys doing here?" Leon asked, and then he peered down at Asta as she clung to his arm and purred. "And who is this?" Both Vara and Relea gave the Mithra dark glares.

"I am Asta von de Ovilov, Handsome." Her tail flicked with each word. Vara made a puking motion and Fina giggled. Relea just brooded.

Suddenly, the ground started quivering beneath their feet as three Exchange ships flew over the warehouse and hovered above the crew. "Vara Solo and Leon Kennedy!" A voice blared from the ship. "Stay where you are!" A searchlight blinked on and scanned the ground before centering on them. Vara rolled her yes.

"Oh, yeah, we're really going to stay put. Let's go!" The companions took off running, dodging among the warehouses and containers. Leon reached into the pocket of his vest and fished out his communicator. He punched in 000 on the keypad, the emergency numbers for the Outlaw Star. Jezebel locked onto their location and sent the ship towards the Warehouse District.

Nayt and Asta argued as they ran, each telling the other who had the rights to Vara and suggesting some indecencies the one would do to the other. Asta came up with some creative albeit impossible ones for Nayt, causing Vara to feel some pride towards the feline bounty huntress.

Finally, the Outlaw Star came into view, dodging and returning fire as it headed towards them. Leon tossed a few flash grenades over his shoulder while Nayt and Vara fired on their pursuers. Relea climbed into the ship first, pulling Fina in after her. Asta hopped in next, yelping as a stray shot grazed her tail.

Leon and Vara scrambled into the hatch just as the Outlaw Star began to lift off. Nayt leapt for the closing hatch, grabbing on with just one hand. Leon sprinted for the cockpit. Vara stood before Nayt, watching as he struggled to hand on. Slowly, she placed her boot over his hand. "What makes you think I'm going to let you enter my ship after you almost kill me? I'd be dead if it wasn't for that damn cat." She stated casually, looking past his head and into the night sky.

The Iridonian let out a grunt as his body smashed into the ship as it zigged and zagged, dodging fire. "That's right, you would." He closed his eyes for a moment. "When he reopened them, he found himself staring into her brown ones. "But I…want a chance to…make amends?"

"You don't sound so sure of that."

"Maybe I'm not."

An understanding came between them; one that was unspoken, but that's what had sustained their partnership for all those years. Removing her foot from Nayt's hand, Vara grabbed the collar of his coat and dragged him roughly into the ship.

"Honor among bounty hunters?" Two heads turned to see Relea standing behind them, watching the exchange, her expression unreadable.

"That's where it originated." Vara said with a growl and shoved past the Jedi, heading for the cockpit to join Leon. Relea and Nayt followed close behind.

Daj grinned from his ship as he ordered missiles fired at the fleeing criminals. No one escaped him. No one. He gave a triumphant grunt as the Outlaw Star shuddered and banked to the right, heading towards the ground.

"Oh damn!" Vara shrieked as the ship burst into flames. "Everyone, hold on

"Something tells me this isn't going to be a happy landing…" The Iridonian growled and then the world went white…

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Until next time…


	7. Chapter 7: A Step Back

**Swimming Among the Stars**

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars…that honor goes to the brilliant Mr. George Lucas and I just come here to get away from it all…

FYI: I use locations, characters, and races from many other games and anime shows.

Please REVIEW! Criticism is welcome so I can become a better writer.

A/N: I want to thank everyone for the reviews! Please keep 'em coming and I appreciate all the suggestions. This is my first fanfiction I've posted so I'm always looking for ways to improve. I apologize for my last chapter; I sort of ran the characters' personalities together. The only explanation I can give for Nayt being comfortable around Vara and Leon is that he's known them for a long time, and not always on bad circumstances. I'm so sorry for the delay. Writer's block and all... This is just a small little chapter to get everyone back into the story again and to provide a tiny ray of backstory. Now, on with the show…

**Chapter 7: A Step Back**

**Part I – Captured**

**Location: Exchange HQ, Macbeth**

"Oooh, my head." Asta hissed and reached to rub it but her limbs stayed put. They were attached to the wall by metal clasps. A glance to her left and right revealed Leon and Nayt in the same position.

The Iridonian cracked open an eye and took in his surroundings with a quick sweep. He frowned but the corners of his mouth turned up for an instant. _Captured._ _Again. Just like old times…_ He darted his leg out and struck Leon's hip. "Hey, wake up." Leon moaned but remained motionless; his head drooped. Nayt kicked again but aimed for the ribs this time. "Come on, sleeping beauty, come back to the land of the living."

This woke him up. Leon growled and mumbled incoherently for a few seconds before tilting his head back. He blew out a breath and turned to his right to see Nayt glaring at him and Asta winking. A bad taste came to his mouth. "Where the hell are we?"

"Well thanks to your cracker jack flying skills, we crashed and are now in the hospitality of the Exchange." Nayt sniped, tugging at the shackles at his wrists. The chains rattled but didn't budge.

Suddenly, a sick feeling settled into Leon's gut. _Relea…Vara…Fina… _"Where's-"

"Jedi girl, psycho girl, and child aren't here." Asta piped up as she fished around in her mop of hair. "They took them somewhere else."

Nayt smiled viciously as Leon groaned. Both knew what the Exchange thugs did to female prisoners, especially attractive ones. _If they do anything, so help me…_ His thoughts were interrupted as Nayt spoke to the Mithra. "So Asta, what are you doing, digging for treasure?"

She bared her teeth at him and growled. "Let's see who laughs last, Horn boy." She pulled a tiny silver cylinder from her crop of fiery hair and jammed it into the lock of the shackles. With a metallic click, she was freed. Shock was evident on Leon and Nayt's faces as their eyes widened. She rolled gracefully forward and hopped to her feet. Purring triumphantly, Asta peered down at the men; hands perched on her hips.

"Now what do you say to that?" She asked, twirling the lock pick between her slender fingers.

"I say you are a smart and wonderful woman." Leon said hopefully, plastering a grin on his face.

"Mmm, pretty boy knows the magic words." She leaned towards the bounty hunter and slowly unhooked his cuffs, looking him up and down as she went. Leon cringed. The bad taste in his mouth was back.

Leon massaged the circulation back into his wrists as Asta turned her tormenting attention back to the Iridonian. "So…" She murmured, dancing around Nayt.

"If you think I'm going to say that crap that Leon spouted, you're crazy."

"Tell me something I don't know, Horn boy, but if you want me to let you out…"

Leon's ears perked. Footsteps. "Will you two shut up!" He hissed and motioned for them to quiet.

Asta sprang towards the door and stood next to it. Leon joined her. "What about Nayt?" She asked but the Iridonian shook his head.

"Leave this part to me." They gave him a questioning look but he closed his eyes and dropped his head.

The doors swished open to reveal three guards: a Bith, a Twi'lek, and a human. The human stopped dead. "What the hell!"

"They left." Nayt growled. "And left me here." As the Bith reached for his communicator, Leon and Asta attacked.

Nayt did a leg sweep to drop the Bith and Leon grabbed the communicator and the alien's gun. The Mithra leapt onto the human's back and clawed his face. "Ah, get her off!" He screamed but the cat woman held on for dear life. Leon held the Twi'lek and Bith at gunpoint but made no move to threaten the human.

"Come on, Asta, you can take him." Leon called to her and she snarled in response. Dodging his flailing limbs, she wrapped her own arms around the thug's neck and twisted left, right, and up to cut off the circulation of air. Within seconds, the man's legs buckled and he fell to the floor with a thud. Asta gently hopped off of him and dusted her hands off daintily.

Asta went to unlock Nayt as Leon interrogated their new prisoners. "Now, you're going to answer some questions for me. What are the codes for the door?" The Twi'lek glanced at the Bith. Leon pressed the barrel against the alien's forehead. "I'm not in the mood for games, I'll ask once more." The Bith quickly rattled off numbers, his giant black eyes widening even more as he eyed the gun pressed to his partner's head. Nayt started shackling them to the wall as Leon asked his last question. "There were two women and a little girl with us when we were captured. Where are they?" The Twi'lek answered this one.

"The loud mouth broad and the brunette were taken for their fittings. Who knows what they did to the freaky little kid." Leon felt his blood turn cold and considered pulling the trigger right then and there but knew gunshots would alert the other guards to their escape but Nayt cut in before he even lowered the gun.

"Thanks for the information gentlemen, but you've outgrown your usefulness. Nighty night" With two swift kicks to the face, both aliens went unconscious.

Asta tapped the code into the door and the three of them were off. Leon started pressing buttons on the communicator, hoping to find a map of the facility and to not accidentally set off an alarm. There was a big red button on the bottom of the machine. Usually anything big and red spelled trouble, at least in his experiences. "So…" Asta began as they walked. "What is a fitting?"

Nayt smiled like a drooling shark. "It's where they find out what size the ladies are for their bikinis. Those beautiful…tight…revealing…**_metal_** bikinis… Asta made a noise of distaste.

"You're drooling." Nayt went to reach for his lips but stopped. He considered reaching for his gun and putting the cat out of her misery.

Leon smiled triumphantly as a map blossomed on the screen. "Armory on the second floor."

Asta suddenly started to pout. "Why didn't they take me to a fitting?"

"They didn't want to see your furry ass, that's why."

The Mithra swung at the Iridonian's head but he quickly darted into the elevator. "For your information, I look great in a bikini."

Leon rolled his eyes and wondered what he had done to deserve this as the doors closed.

**Part II – Tight Spaces**

**Location: Exchange HQ, Macbeth**

Relea peered down at her chest. Funny, they never looked as big under her robes. She reached down for the umpteenth time that day and adjusted the bottoms of her new attire. "How can you stand wearing this?"

Vara rolled over to face her, the chains around her wrists getting caught on a potted plant on the floor in the process. She grunted and tugged at them, knocking the fern over. "It's the not the first time I've worn a metal bikini."

The Jedi's eyebrow cocked from her curiosity but Vara put up a hand. "Maybe I'll tell you some night for a bedtime story, but I don't want to give the slime around here any creative ideas."

Relea sighed nervously and tugged the top of the bikini, trying her hardest to pull it up to hide even just a fraction of her cleavage.

"No matter how much you pull, you're not going to be able to stretch metal." Vara said, noting the uneasiness in the woman's eyes. She leaned back against a pile of plump, satiny, scarlet pillows, propped her feet up, and plucked at the grapes sitting on a platter next to her.

The Jedi frowned. "Well I'm glad to see you're not distressed or anything. Maybe you should call room service and see if they can bring us some appetizers and a bottle of wine."

Vara actually smiled at the woman's sarcasm. "I'm not worried. One: I've been in worse spots. Two: no one will do anything to us since we're Ovono's new goods, and Third: …" She paused, thinking. "And Third: I like grapes." She grinned in pleasure as she popped a handful into her mouth. Relea just shook her head. "Besides, don't be afraid to live a little, Jedi. You do have a passable figure."

Relea blinked. _Passable? Why…_ Then her frown deepened. Vara was baiting her…again. "You don't look half bad, even though I would look a lot better in that color than you."

The Jedi peered down at the lavender two-piece that she was currently stuffed into. Vara tapped the top of her own costume. "Not that green isn't a great color for me too - damn it, why not be truthful, I'd look great in a brown sack, but me in purple has always been…magical."

The younger woman wondered if the grapes were spiked. "Uh…huh."

"Besides," Vara continued, munching on the tiny plum fruits, "these girls don't seem scared or anything do they?" Relea looked around the room at the other captives lying on the gigantic cushion that filled up the room. Widened eyes stared back at her, like frightened animals caught helpless in oncoming speeder lights.

"No, Vara, not at all."

**Part III – Rescue Attempt **

**Location: Exchange HQ, Macbeth**

"She doesn't look so powerful to me."

"I agree. She looks just like some little kid."

"Yes, but the stories I heard-"

"Maybe that's all they were-stories."

Hushed voices outside her cell caused Fina to slowly open her eyes. The world was all fuzzy. After blinking a few times, she managed to gain complete consciousness. Her gaze rested on two guards that were standing outside her cell, staring at her, one with confusion and the other with a frown. "Well it's not like we'd know, anyway. That Sith freak wants her and that's all that counts."

Fina's breath caught in her throat, a scream struggling to make its way out. Her vocal chords, silent from her days of captivity, ached to make themselves heard. She wouldn't allow herself to be taken back. She _couldn't_.

"_**We'll break into that untapped power of yours, child. Just think of the possibilities you have before you. Others would kill for your power." **The small child stared back at the man, eyes unblinking. _

"_W-what do you mean, Master?" She whispered, her voice quivering just like her body._

"_**Blissfully unaware." **He said to himself, ignoring her question. _

_Two swirled eyes watched him uneasily as he paced._

"_**Well, the time has come for your initiation. A giant portal awaits you and I will be the one to show you the way."**_

_With a blinding flash, the entire room plunged into darkness. Master closed his eyes and concentrated, bending the Force in the room, causing it to contort and become corrupted with his very being. The tiny girl screamed, letting out a blood-curdling cry that echoed throughout the temple… _

Fighting the terror that seemed persistent to take over her very being, the young girl summoned a deep, well-hidden strength and quieted her mind and brought warmth back into her numbed limbs. The girl stood up, ripping the chains that bound her hands straight from the wall.

The guards let out a strangled half-scream, half-cry as intense violet light flooded the cells and caused the entire room to explode in a spectacular flash of flames…


	8. Chapter 8: Capture

**Swimming Among the Stars**

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars…that honor goes to the brilliant Mr. George Lucas and I just come here to get away from it all…

FYI: I use locations, characters, and races from many other games and anime shows.

Please REVIEW! Criticism is welcome so I can become a better writer.

A/N: I want to thank everybody for the reviews! I love hearing what you have to say and suggestions are more than welcome! I try to give everyone who reviews a personal message but if I forget, please forgive me. I also apologize for the long delay but now that school is just about out, I'll have plenty of more time to write. I'm still working on my other story so look for an update soon on that too. Now, on with the show…

* * *

**Chapter 8:**

**Location: Exchange HQ, Macbeth**

"Talk about a big bang."

Asta nodded her agreement to Leon. "The last time I heard an explosion that loud was…" She took a moment to scratch her head in thought. "Well, earlier today when we crashed."

"Whatever it was, it bought us some time." Nayt interjected, pushing roughly past Asta to look down the hallway, which caused her to stick her tongue out between her lips. "The guards will be running around like tachs with their heads cut off and won't even notice us." He mused, watching as four guards ran past them in the corridor to his right.

"I just hope the girls are alright…" Leon said slowly, fear knotting in his stomach. Nayt rolled his eyes and fished around in his vest for a cigarra.

"Your concern is _touching_ and disgusting." The Iridonian, finding the object of his search, placed the cigarra between his lips. Now for a light… "I think that pink glow stick your girlfriend carries around isn't just for show. And Vara could kill something with her personality alone, so I think they can handle themselves." A smile lit up his usually bland face for an instant when his fingers closed around his lighter. It looked like a tiny, furry bantha. He got it as a prize for drinking 10 bottles of Correllian ale and managing not to throw up for five minutes after back at Jericho V. You pulled back the little fuzzy head and a tiny flame spewed out. It also made him chuckle, thinking of a fire-breathing bantha. Wouldn't those Tusken Raiders back on Tatooine be shocked if their big wooly pets started spouting flames while munching grass?

Blinking, he found Asta and Leon staring at him. Pocketing the lighter, he cleared his throat. "What the hell are you looking at?"

"Oh, nothing…" Asta quipped, enjoying the mixture of surprise and embarrassment that came over his features and the impending fight between he and Leon.

"And she's not my girlfriend!" Leon growled, taking a step closer to Nayt.

The bounty hunter blew a ring of smoke into Leon's face and sighed contentedly. "The first step is admitting it."

"The first step is actually grinding my fist into your horned head." The bounty hunter retorted, his eyes sparking with ferocity. There was something about Nayt that always rubbed Leon like a piece of sandpaper. He got under, over, and on his skin.

A vicious grin caused the corners of Nayt's lips to turn up. "I'd _love_ for you to try, kid. That little fist of yours would be a bloody pulp before you even got halfway to my skull." His right hand slid behind his back to finger the blade he took off one of the guards from earlier.

Leon gave the Iridonian a ferocious smile of his own that would've look just as natural on a faraxan shark. "I think I'll take my chances…"

Just as the bounty hunter took a swing at Nayt, who was pulling out his knife, Asta let out a terrified shriek. Nayt and Leon turned, startled, with the latter letting go of the other man's shirt. A section of the wall had just blown away with a great bang. Amidst the dust and debris came a tiny figure shrouded in a purple glow, lighting up the entire hallway. Asta's mouth opened and shut again and again, making her look like a beached fish gulping for air. Nayt frowned and Leon's eyes widened. _What_ or _who_ was that!

The figure looked around and stumbled forward, as if disoriented. Then it…whimpered. A sad, pained whimper that sounded like a wounded dog.

Asta grabbed Leon's sleeve, her eyes as wide as saucers. "I-it's a…ghost. Surely it's a ghost! Someone that the Exchange murdered, coming back to enact its revenge on all the living!" She wailed, hoping back and forth, still clinging to Leon's shirt. He raised his eyebrows at her, but she didn't seem to notice, her gaze still fixed the on the glowing figure a few feet away.

"Is it me, or does that '_ghost'_ look a little familiar?" Nayt asked casually, taking a long drawl from his cigarra and letting another ring of smoke escape through his lips. Leon pried Asta off his arm, who instantly latched onto Nayt, and took a hesitant step closer towards the "apparition". Nayt glanced at the Mithra distastefully, attempting to shake her off.

Leon blinked as recognition came over him. He took another step forward and another. Asta hissed at him. "What are you doing! Are you crazy! Don't you know ghosts can kill you with just looking at you? They have x-ray eyes or something!" She shook Nayt's arm, causing his cigarra to jiggle between his teeth. "Is he crazy! He _is_ crazy!"

Nayt shrugged. "I never doubted it." He tapped his ciggarra with his finger, causing ashes to fall to the floor in a gray powdery mist. "But you seem awful knowledgeable about the subject, cat."

"I watched a holovid movie on it once. It was called Killer Ghosts of the Dark Abyss!"

The Iridonian rolled his eyes again. "Not exactly Galactic Geographic." As they continued arguing, Leon had crept up to the figure.

"F-Fina!" Leon called out gently, kneeling down about two feet from the ghostly apparition. "Fina, i-is that you?"

The figure let out a soft whine and fell to its knees, head in its hands, shaking as if just coming out of a snowstorm. Then it slowly looked up, staring straight at Leon. He felt the air rush out of his lungs; her gaze, it went straight into his soul. Those eyes, they were like glowing coals of a fire. It caused him to let out a slight gasp, but he quickly struggled to regain his composure.

"Fina…what happened to you?" He whispered and slowly reached for her.

She blinked, squinting at him, as if trying to figure out who he was. She let out a small whine and stood up.

"It's okay, everything will be okay." Leon soothed, coaxing the young girl to him.

_**It's not okay**._

He jumped, startled by the words that suddenly flashed across his mind.

Fina stopped right before Leon and stared at him. **_Help me._**

Swallowing, Leon spoke with a pained voice. "Fina, _please_, tell me how!" His hand brushed hesitantly against her arm.

Suddenly, the glow disappeared. Nayt and Asta stared on in surprise. Fina's eyes lost their glow and snapped back to normal. She and Leon gazed intently at each other. Then instantly, she crumpled to the floor, saved only by Leon's arms.

* * *

"What is it with Jedi never having their glow sticks around when you need it? Geez, you'd think you'd guys would be prepared _sometimes_."

Relea blew out an exasperated breath and was about to retort when a thought struck her and caused her to change her tone from clipped annoyance to one of pure curiosity. "_Never_ having their glow sticks? You've been around other Jedi? I've assumed that I was the only one…" She blinked, as if struck by a sudden thought. "Wait…I remember now…back on the Outlaw Star, you knew about-"

Vara cut her off at the pass. "Yes, I knew about Battle Meditation." The bounty huntress enjoyed the look of shock that ran across Relea's eyes at her astuteness. "I might tell you the story at a more opportune moment than when we're riding a glass elevator in the middle of one of _the_ most powerful Exchange boss's home base."

The Jedi found herself looking at Vara in a slightly, now this is slightly mind you, elevated state of mind. She was familiar with Jedi arts…this could be one interesting story. However, story time would have to be put on hold as gunshots rang out from below. Both women turned to see a stream of green blaster fire strike the elevator, sending out showers of sparks as the shots struck the liquid-like blue shield that encompassed the lift. "How do you want to handle this?" Relea asked Vara, still peeing out the glass at the spectacular display of fire that the Exchange were unleashing. She watched as two heavily tattooed Twi'lek's set up mounted repeating blasters. The already weakened shield wouldn't be able to hold up to such heavy firepower and at such a close range.

Vara watched the double-digit numbers spinning on the dial to show what floors the elevator were passing. "They're obviously tracking us with all the tech goodies that Ovono has in this place…" She did a quick head count of the growing militia on the ground floor that were steadily looking smaller and smaller as the lift continued on its steady ascent. "You good at force jumps?"

Relea's brow creased in confusion. "Force jumps…I suppose so." Knowing Vara's death-defying nature, she felt an inkling of dread seep into her gut at the prospect of the half-brained scheme that the lady bounty hunter was obviously cooking up in that calculating brain of hers.

Without another word, Vara punched a key on the metallic control panel set into the wall and turned a small knob. With a hiss, the rubbery ceiling plate of the elevator lifted up and slid into its slot, revealing a square opening just large enough for both women to squeeze through single file. Vara emerged first and opened fire, lobbing two grenades she had snagged off a dead guard earlier.

It had been quite an exciting escape that led Relea and Vara to their current situation. The explosion that rocked the complex earlier had set the guards in Ovono's Lady Slave Quarters, that Vara had dubbed the Love Shack, into a state of mass chaos. Instead of saving the Exchange Lord's prized love slaves, they all bolt for the exits in thought to their own safety. In the ensuing madness, Relea had force-tripped a guard that had a master key to all the locks on the shackles that the girls wore. Vara then sprang onto his back and wrapped the chains around his neck, cutting off his air supply and dropping him to the floor in only 15 seconds flat. Vara prided herself in efficiency. Freeing themselves, the girls had fled the confines and snuck into a small armory. Finding clothes, much to Relea's glee (even though she was stuffed into a hideous fluorescent orange body suit and Vara had managed to find a nice pair of leather plants and a green flight jacket), and a small weapon cache branded "good enough with my skills" by Vara, they were off. Sixteen dispatched guards, two brushes with an automated ceiling mounted turret gun, three wrong turns, one dead end, and a quick bathroom stop led our heroines to the elevator they were currently climbing out of.

Relea joined Vara on the roof the small lift and took a hesitant peek over the side. Luckily they weren't heading any farther up as the elevator had come to an abrupt stop when the ceiling hatch was opened for safety measures, but the militia on the ground look like tiny little insects scurrying around a dropped crumb of food. "Not even the most powerful Jedi Master could make the jump this far." She said slowly, images of crushes bones and pools of blood flooded her mind and started to make her feel woozy.

"Woah, steady there, Jedi, can't have you falling off the damn thing!" Vara growled, grabbing a fistful of the shockingly orange vest that was zipped over the top of Relea's body suit and hauling her back onto steadier ground. She also took a quick glance over the side and swallowed.

"Wait a minute, look over there." Vara followed Relea's outstretched arms to see a small ship, about half the size of the Outlaw Star, suspended from the ceiling by chunky metal chains. It was in the middle stages of assembly, with its shiny white shell devoid of any interior space. Black plasteel catwalks crisscrossed all around it in a confusing grid that the workers used to reach all the ship's surfaces. At a closer inspection, Relea scoped out two loose chains hanging freely from the ceiling, a perfect place to do a little swinging from. "If I can reach the chains, and then to the ship…"

"We can drop it on their heads! I like your thinking, Jedi! I'm rubbing off on you and-"

Relea blinked at her. "I wasn't thinking of dropping the ship. I was going to use it to jump to a lower platform so I could reach the floor…but you know, I like your idea better_." I can't believe I just said that!_

"So while you're jumping around like a monkey, what am I supposed to do? Sit here and be a distraction?"

It was the young Jedi's turn to look smug. "No, just shut up and hold on." Before Vara could open her mouth, Relea clamped her arms around her waist and leapt- right off the edge of the elevator.

Vara's mouth flew open into an 'o' of surprise, but nothing came out. Relea welcomed the speechlessness. Soaring through the air, she reached out and managed to clasp one of the chains. They swung back and forth from the momentum, streams of repeating blaster fire whizzing past them and pinging off of the ship and ceiling. Showers of sparks rained down. As they reached the apex of another swing, Relea jumped again, using the force to guide her towards the ship, but a blaster shot caught her in the arm, wrecking her concentration and causing the women to crash into the ship with a thud.

Relea scrabbled at the side with her fingertips, managing to hold on but Vara wasn't so lucky. The force of the collision caused her arms to loosen and she slid down, only managing to stop her fall by grabbing Relea's boots. She hung above the floor, hundreds of feet above, by just a few inches of leather. Swallowing and forcing bile back into her stomach, she glanced up at Relea. "Uh…hehe, now what?"

"I'm working on it." Relea gasped back, feeling her own grip starting to loosen. Her eyes darted frantically over their surroundings. Her arm throbbed and started to weaken as blood seeped through the sleeve of the body suit. "Alright, you're going to have to climb up onto the ship."

"Using…what exactly?"

"Me."

"What! Are you cra-"

"JUST HURRY UP, DAMN IT!" Relea barked, beads of perspiration forming on her brow.

After taking another look down and seeing the ant-size militia positioned on the ground floor, Vara slowly started to climb. Reaching up, she grabbed onto the utility belt attached to Relea's waist and pulled herself up higher. The Jedi winced at the added weight, her sweat-slicked fingers starting to slide again.

Vara took a deep breath and surged upwards, propelling off of Relea's shoulders and rolling over onto the ship's wing. The effort caused Relea to loose her grasp and she fell, hundreds of feet above the floor. She let out a shriek of surprise at the feeling of weightlessness, but a sudden hand on her wrist stopped her rapid descent. "I can't have you falling on my watch." Vara said, breathless, peering over the side. "Leon would kill me…and…as much as I hate to admit it, you're alright…for a Jedi."

Relea managed to let out a small laugh. "And you're not too bad…for a moral deficient bounty hunter." After both women were safely on the ship's wing, they took a few moments to catch their breath. "Now, how do we drop this thing?"

Vara leaned over the wing and peered around the bow of the ship. She spied a tiny glass room suspended on the wall. The catwalk that connected to it was missing, blown apart by a badly thrown grenade. "Over there, it looks like a control room of some sort." Using bolts and screws as footholds, the bounty hunter and Jedi scaled the ship and made their way over to the catwalk. Losing sight of their prey, the militia stopped firing and their shouts could be heard even at the women's great height. They quickly scrambled into the control room. Relea found the release switches, and using the force, pulled them all at once so the guards below wouldn't be alerted. The chains retracted and the ship fell to the floor with a tremendous bang.

"Thar she blows!" Vara cried out gleefully, hopping up and down in delight.

Relea only sunk down onto the floor in exhaustion.

* * *

Ovono peered into the view screen on the expansive control panel before him, placing his glass against his lips and taking a small sip of his wine. He watched the human man, Iridonian male, female Mithra, and human child scurry through his halls aimlessly. They were getting on his nerves. He started regretting taking the job for the Sith, but you couldn't really say no when someone said "take this job or we'll string you up by your entrails." So Ovono took the job. He didn't get this high up in the Exchange by making stupid decisions, and he liked his entrails right where they were at.

He had wondered why this child was so important to the Sith Lord, but his question was answered when he saw the damage to the holding cells where she was being kept. It appeared as if some great bomb was set off. They hadn't been able to find the remains of the guards. With a shrug, he reached out and tapped a large blue button. All the doors of the complex slammed shut and shields dropped from the ceiling, capturing their runaway captives. Setting his glass down onto the table next to him, he turned to his new right hand man, Ukar. A tall, broad man, Ukar was one of few words. But one didn't need too many words with muscles of those calibur. "Go collect our prisoners and bring them to me."

Ukar's piercing blue eyes flicked over to his master. "Yes sir." Then he left the room, motioning the other guards to follow.

Ovono rose from his seat and walked over to his bar. The soft lights over the bar's granite counter were the only illumination in the room besides the viewing screens. He liked it dark. Replenishing his drink, he regarded the door where Ukar had just exited. That one would have to be taken care of as soon as the prisoners were dealt with. Ovono hadn't gotten this far up in the Exchange with trusting his underlings. They all wanted power, and trust meant a knife in your chest during your sleep. Taking a longer pull of his alcohol, he settled back into his chair to await his guests.

"What the hell!" Asta cried out as shields suddenly dispersed from the ceiling, blanketing everything in a watery blue landscape.

Leon let out a growl of frustration. They would never reach Relea and Vara at this rate! Nayt said nothing but did take an extra deep puff on his cigarra.

"I feel so trapped!" She wailed. "And this static electricity is making my hair stand frizz."

"It won't make you look any stupider." The Iridonian said.

"Bastard." She spat and crossed her arms.

"Don't get to comfortable, we've got company." Leon whispered, watching as a dozen guards filed into the room.

"You'll be coming with us." The leader growled, a rather nasty looking human male. Suddenly, a glass tube slid down from the ceiling and encompassed Leon, Nayt, Fina, and Asta. "You better be polite to our boss, or we'll make your death slow…and very painful." Asta swallowed nervously. Leon's brows furrowed as he frowned, his stomach taking a sickening lurch at the glint in the man's eye at the word painful.

"Oh we'll be polite. Wouldn't want to wear out our warm welcome."

Suddenly, the floor gave a shudder and started to ascend, creating an elevator. The last thing they saw as they slid up into darkness was Ukar's bloodthirsty grin.

* * *

"Welcome to my suite gentlemen, and lady." A warm voice greeted the Outlaw Star crew as their elevator brought them up into a huge, well furnished room. The walls were a chocolate brown and all the chairs and tables were varying shades of the same color. A man rose up from an enormous armchair in front of a wall full of view screens. He was in his thirties, handsome, well groomed, but his eyes told another story. One of death, greed, and deceit. He was a man made for the crime syndicate to be sure.

"Ovono." Leon snarled, his gaze narrowing; that single word carrying anger and a threat all in one. The guards that had captured them earlier entered the room shortly after. Reaching through the elevator, which wasn't made of glass but of a pliable plastic material, they grabbed Fina and roughly pulled her out.

"Fina!" Leon cried out, reaching for her, but he and the group received a tremendous electrical shock for his trouble. Gasping, they fell to their knees, shuddering and twitching with pain.

Fina glanced over her shoulder and watched helplessly as the group disappeared behind the door she was led through.

Ovono stalked across the room, stopping before the glass chamber. "That's just a taste of what we're capable of here in my little fun house. We've have our electrical shocking system dialed down to the lowest power." He smiled. "At medium, it'll boil your kidneys like a potato." It was amazing how his voice never lost its friendly, conversational tone as he talked of torture.

"Like a potato?" Asta asked.

"Like a potato." Ovono answered.

"So why are we here anyway?" Leon began, rising to his feet. "I have a feeling this isn't about simple debts. You would have just had us shot dead. This is something more."

"You've always been the smart one of your little partnership, Leon." Ovono said appreciatively as he started to pace. "You're right, this is far from debts. You see, the Sith aren't gone by any means, and neither are the Jedi, but by the current company you keep, I suspect you already know this." He took a sip from his glass, letting the crimson liquid slide down his throat. "The Sith have great plans for their triumphant return, and why be on the wrong side? They offered me a job and I took it. It's as simple as that."

Nayt finally spoke up. "Nothing is ever that simple with you, Ovono."

"Ah, right you are my horned friend." The Exchange lord paused and regarded his prisoners in their plastic cage, like animals on display. "That child, and her keeper, Relea I believe her name was, were prisoners of my employer. Relea was more a…personal conquest of his, but the child…such power she had. I didn't think it was true it until that little display of hers earlier, and I believe that was just the bottom of the Hoth hill."

"Display?" Asta ventured to ask, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

Ovono stared at her. "What, you thought that explosion earlier was a bomb or something? No my friends, that was the girl. She has some internal power, some great connection to the Force. It was some Sith or Jedi mumbo jumbo that my employer raddled off, but that was beside point. The access to planets, the credits, and the protection were enough for me. And so, after some…bumps along the way," he glared at Leon, "here we are. So let's see…I have the child and I'll soon find his Jedi pet. So…really, I have no use for you guys any longer, do I?"

Nayt, Leon, and Asta waited for the inevitable. Leon closed his eyes. _Relea…wherever you are…I'm sorry…I wish we would have had more time together…so I could tell you…_

_"_You know, you're not just any prisoners." Ovono headed over to the control panel and pulled a lever. Part of the left wall disappeared and revealed a window overlooking a huge stone stadium of sorts, filled with bench seating and box seats. They were all facing a large dusty circular ring with columns jutting up from the ground like gnarled fingers reaching for the orange sky of Macbeth, no doubt stained with the blood of countless.

"I believe you are important enough to be taken to the Gladiatorial Arena." He chuckled, baring his teeth, his façade of friendliness disappearing in an instant. "Aren't you lucky?"

Leon felt his stomach churn; even Nayt's skin paled; Asta just wondered what the heck was going on.

"What is the Gladiatorial Arena?" She whispered into Leon's ear. Nayt wondered if Ovono would let him relieve her of her furry head himself.

"That is an excellent question, my dear." Ovono chirped, standing before the window and peering out at the arena like someone would their prized bed of roses. "It's a place of wondrous magnitude. You get to face the most hideous, vicious creatures the known galaxy has to offer, all the while chained to columns of pure marble. We only do things first class here."

"Sometimes you gets a spear." A guard chimed in from the doorway.

"But don't worry…" Ovono leaned in close. "We scrape up any remains we find and ship them to your family with our condolences."

"And if you don't got any family we feeds 'em to the acklays." The guard said.

"Acklays?" Asta asked, gulping.

"Acklays." Ovono answered. "Now…off to the Hero's Chambers! You do get one last meal and one night's sleep before your big day. We need you all rested and ready!"

And without another word, the elevator descended into the bowls of hell.

* * *

Relea let out a terrified gasp but Vara clamped her hand over the young woman's mouth. They watched helplessly from the air ducts that ran above Ovono's private suite as their comrades were sentenced to a terrible death that none should face.

"How are we going to get there in time!" The Jedi whispered, her voice shaking. Vara closed and reopened her eyes.

"I've got a plan…"


End file.
